Treatment abroad » Doctors » Turkey » Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD

Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD

Stereotactic and functional neurosurgeon

11 reviews

Istanbul, Turkey

Clinical experience: 26 years, since 2000

Languages: Русский

Stas Gersa

Verified review

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

I would like to express my immense gratitude to Professor Atilla Yilmaz and his entire wonderful team!

During many years of struggling with a severe neurological condition, I visited a great many clinics and medical centres, but it was here that, for the first time, I felt that people were genuinely taking care of me, studying my case carefully and sincerely wanting to help.

Professor Atilla Yilmaz is not only an outstanding neurosurgeon of international standing, but also a person with a huge heart. Despite an extremely busy schedule and several complex operations every day, he always found time to visit me personally, answer all my questions in detail, explain every stage of treatment and offer emotional support.

I would particularly like to highlight his individual approach. Before the operation, the professor carefully reviewed my previous surgeries, MRI results and the specific features of my condition, then selected the treatment strategy that, in his opinion, offered the best chances of success. It was very important to me to feel that the decision was based on all the particulars of my case rather than on a standard formula.

A huge thank you to the entire clinic team: neurologists, rehabilitation specialists, anaesthetists, nurses, coordinators, interpreters and administrative staff. Everyone was incredibly friendly, attentive and always ready to help.

I would like to give special thanks to the manager, Saima. From the very first day, she accompanied my mother and me, helped resolve every organisational issue, supported us and was always available. Thanks to her, we felt calm and confident despite being in another country.

I sincerely thank our driver, who met us at the airport and cared for us from the very first moments. Throughout our stay, he helped us with literally everything, supported us, worried about us, hugged us during difficult moments and treated us not as patients but as people close to him. Such kindness is impossible to forget.

I would especially like to thank the interpreter and IT manager, Imron. He is a wonderful person and a true professional. He was always there, helping us overcome the language barrier and resolving technical and organisational matters, which helped us feel calm and confident at every stage of treatment.

Special thanks to Uygar, the DBS programming specialist. After the operation, he adjusted the stimulation settings very carefully and patiently, striving to achieve the best possible result. It was clear that what mattered to him was not simply doing his job, but genuinely helping the patient.

I would also like to mention that the cost of the operation includes subsequent follow-up, support and neurostimulator programming. This means an enormous amount to a patient with such a complex condition. Knowing that after surgery you are not left alone with your illness, but can count on help from the team treating you, is invaluable.

I was also deeply touched by the clinic’s attitude towards its patients. They even arranged a tour of Istanbul for us so we could take our minds off the operation for a while and experience some positive emotions. Later, I learned that it was Professor Atilla Yilmaz himself who had asked the clinic management to organise this trip for us. Such attention and care show a truly humane attitude and sincere concern.

The operation went successfully. Now the most important stage is beginning: recovery, DBS system programming and rehabilitation. Even today, I can feel the first positive changes and look to the future with great optimism.

Thank you to Professor Atilla Yilmaz and his entire team for their professionalism, attentiveness, kindness and the hope they have given me. You help people not only as doctors, but also as caring human beings who are sincerely concerned about their patients.

I wish the entire team good health, well-being, professional success and as many happy patients as possible!

With immense respect and gratitude,

Stanislav Gerasimov

21/10/2026

Fotomurcuk

Verified review

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Last week, at the Neurosurgery and Neuromodulation Center under the leadership of Associate Professor Atilla Yılmaz, we successfully performed a brain stimulator implantation surgery. I say “successfully” because the procedure was carried out with the patient awake, and we had a pleasant conversation while working as a perfectly coordinated team 🙂

First of all, I was impressed by Atilla Yılmaz’s sincerity and positive energy. It is extremely important for a patient to feel trust in their doctor. After thorough evaluation, openness to new scientific approaches, the right choice of team, and proper timing of the surgery — everything worked together as a single whole. I am grateful to my doctor and his wonderful team.

29/01/2025

Sinem Musa

Verified review

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

First of all, we would like to thank the entire team for their professionalism, care, and dedication. Thank you for making life better. We wish you continued success and the opportunity to help many more people. Special thanks to our doctor, Atilla Yılmaz, and his assistants Uygar and Ali. 🙂

17/06/2024

Lena

Verified review

Parkinson’s disease — DBS

After my husband’s DBS operation, his health improved greatly. As he himself says, he regained the desire to keep living; the professor gave him a second life. His mood improved, he became more mobile, his walking changed for the better and his speech became clear. All these changes and improvements in quality of life happened thanks to the exceptional professionalism of Dr Atilla Yilmaz and his team of doctors. Many thanks to the doctor for restoring a normal life to people with Parkinson’s disease.
There is a friendly atmosphere at Medicana Clinic. Both the doctors and medical staff listen very carefully to the patient. The rooms are comfortable, and a hotel is provided near the clinic, which is very convenient. Everyone is polite: at the clinic, the hotel and the pharmacy. Everywhere I encountered understanding and kindness. The clinic provides transport from the airport to the hotel on arrival and back again in a comfortable car. There is also one day for a city tour, and you can plan the route yourself. I enjoyed the boat trip along the Bosphorus; there are so many beautiful and interesting places... Many thanks to the professor, his team, the doctors and the clinic’s medical staff. I would especially like to mention the professor’s assistant, Hatice: she is very kind, attentive, polite and beautiful, translates very accurately and word for word, and conveys the patient’s concerns to the professor. She is wonderful!
Our whole family thanks the professor and the clinic and wishes them further success in treatment.
Overall, we have very good impressions of our trip to Istanbul.

24/10/2023

Pavel

Verified review

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Dr Atilla performed deep brain stimulation surgery on my father. We are very happy with the result. The hospital is very good, and the doctor’s team is very professional and caring. Special thanks to Khadija, Oksana and Jamila for their great support and care. Overall, we are very satisfied and recommend that everyone come here without hesitation. This man truly is the best surgeon.

19/09/2023

Uguumur Demuulen

Verified review

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Thank you to the doctor. The surgery was very professionally done, and the follow-up was very good. My mother was satisfied with the DBS surgery. Also thank you the staff of Dr Atilla, they are also very helpful and professional.

10/07/2023

lkhamaa Bandi

Verified review

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Hello!
After coming to this hospital in Turkey and having surgery to implant a deep brain stimulator, my mother now walks on her own, her hands are no longer stiff or trembling, and she sleeps well. Many thanks to the hospital team and Dr Atilla! I wish you every success!

17/12/2022

Rıza Y.

Verified review

Leg spasticity

I would like to thank my doctor for the successful surgery that relieved me of many years of leg spasms. Despite all the medications, my legs would not relax, but after a minor procedure with the implantation of a pump, they relaxed completely.

16/12/2022

Muhtorjon Ibragimov

Verified review

Parkinson’s disease — DBS

I was at MEDICANA Clinic in Istanbul, Turkey. My father had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for 16 years. Here, he underwent deep brain stimulation surgery. The changes were remarkable. The trembling disappeared. The medical services, operation and patient treatment here are of a European standard. I advise other patients, if possible, to have this operation before the illness starts causing difficulties with walking. Dr Atilla Yilmaz is a good specialist in this field. His assistants are also kind in their dealings with patients. In short, all the services here are centred on the patient.

23/10/2022

Sarvarbek Usmonov

Verified review

Parkinson’s disease

Assalamu alaikum!
We are happy that we chose Medicana Clinic in Istanbul. My father had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for five years. Here, Dr Atilla Yilmaz performed an operation and treated my father with a 100% result. On behalf of our family, we express our gratitude to Dr Atilla Yilmaz. We would also like to thank the doctors, staff and nurses at Medicana Clinic for their responsible approach to their work.

02/08/2022

Mirakhim Mirakhim

Verified review

Baclofen pump implantation

A very modern, good clinic. Dr Atilla Yilmaz is a master of his craft, a very knowledgeable and highly qualified specialist. Our daughter had surgery to implant a baclofen pump. We can say only good things about Dr Atilla Yilmaz and the other clinic staff. The treatment and care at the clinic are of the highest standard. Special thanks to the Russian-speaking staff members Khadiche and Jamilla for their help.

17/06/2022

Stereotactic and functional neurosurgeon

Clinical experience: 26 years, since 2000

Achievements and awards

1,200+ neuromodulation procedures, including 800+ deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgeries.

Golden Medal Award — Middle Eastern Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (MSSFN), 2022.

One of the six best lectures of the year — Turkish Neurosurgical Society.

Trains neurosurgeons in DBS technologies under official proctorship agreements with Medtronic, Abbott and Boston Scientific.

About Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD

Specialization

Functional neurosurgery (neuromodulation)
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease, tremor, and dystonia
Spinal cord stimulation, sacral stimulation, and vagus nerve stimulation
Implantation and management of an intrathecal baclofen pump
Stereotactic biopsy, pain surgery, and other interventional procedures

Education

1992–2000 — Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine — MD degree
2007–2013 — Mustafa Kemal University (Hatay), Faculty of Medicine — Residency in Neurosurgery
December 2015–March 2016; February–June 2019 — Fellowship in Spine Surgery, Koç University and American Hospital, Istanbul.
August 2016; July 2017 — Observership in Functional Neurosurgery and DBS, University of Florida, Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration, with Prof. Michael S. Okun and Prof. Kelly D. Foote.
June 2019 — Advanced DBS training, Umeå University, Sweden.

Clinical Experience

2007–2013 — Research Assistant, Department of Neurosurgery, Mustafa Kemal University, Turkey
2013–2014 — Specialist Neurosurgeon, Bayburt State Hospital, Turkey
2014–2019 — Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, Mustafa Kemal University.
2019–2024 — Associate Professor, Istanbul Okan University.
2024–2026 — Professor, Istanbul Health and Technology University.
Current position — Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul Health and Technology University.
Since 2019 — Head of Neurosurgery and the Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation Center; hospital: Ataşehir Medicana International Hospital, Istanbul.

Research activities and publications

Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD’s scientific work focuses on functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, neuromodulation, and surgical treatment of movement disorders. A key area of his research is deep brain stimulation (DBS), including clinical applications, mechanisms of action, and optimization of stimulation parameters.

A significant portion of his work is dedicated to Parkinson’s disease and tremor syndromes, including the effectiveness of DBS in treatment-resistant forms, the effects of subthalamic nucleus stimulation on balance, sensation, speech, voice, and quality of life, as well as cerebral hemodynamics and DBS applications in rare clinical conditions. Another focus is the clinical and economic evaluation of neurosurgical technologies, including cost-effectiveness analysis of DBS and shunting systems.

Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD’s publications appear in leading international and national journals in neurosurgery, neurology, and rehabilitation, including Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, Neurocirugía, Annals of Medical Research, Somatosensory & Motor Research, Turkish Journal of Neurology, Asian Spine Journal, Medicine (Baltimore), among others.

Editorial and Peer-Review Work:

Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD actively participates in editorial and peer-review activities: he serves as Associate Editor of Sleep Medicine and Disorders: International Journal, is a member of the editorial boards of leading international neurosurgery and neurology journals, including Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Disorders and Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience, and is an invited reviewer for journals such as World Neurosurgery, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, and Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface. He also serves on scientific advisory boards and article evaluation committees, including Ege Journal of Medicine and Ulutas Medical Journal.

Congress Organization:

Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD has organized and conducted international and regional congresses, symposia, and training courses on stereotactic neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation, neuromodulation, and pain interventions. These include the Congresses of the Middle Eastern Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, NETIS Young Neuromodulators Congress, cadaver-based DBS and spinal cord stimulation workshops with programming, and live surgery courses. Events have been held in Turkey (Istanbul, Hatay, Sapanca), Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and online, covering modern neuromodulation technologies, tremor management, movement disorders, and spasticity treatment.

International practice and training

Prof. Atilla YILMAZ, MD holds official proctorship agreements with Medtronic, Abbott and Boston Scientific — the world’s three leading manufacturers of DBS systems appoint him to train other neurosurgeons on their technology.

He has treated patients from 60+ countries, trained 40+ fellows and observers from 30 countries, and performed the first DBS surgeries in six countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Research metrics: 43 international publications, 424 citations, H-index 12.

Director of the WFNS 2025 workshop in Dubai.

Languages: Turkish, English, Arabic and Russian.

Membership in professional organizations

World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
International Neuromodulation Society
European Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
Middle Eastern Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
Turkish Neurosurgical Society
Turkish Neurosurgical Academy
Neuromodulation Research and Education Society
Neuromodulation Technologies Research, Development and Patient Education Association
Deep Brain Stimulation and Movement Disorder Surgery Association
Turkish Neurosurgical Society Committee for Education and Training in Stereotactic and Functional Pain and Epilepsy Surgery

Positions in Professional Associations:

President of the Middle Eastern Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
(Continental Chapter of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery)
President of the Neuromodulation Research and Education Society
(Turkish Chapter of the International Neuromodulation Society)
Member of the Board of Directors of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
Member of the Board of Directors of the International Neuromodulation Society
Member of the Executive Committee of the European Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
International Board Member of the Southeast European Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (SEESSFN); founding member, 2025
Member of the Board of Directors of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
(Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Committee)
Member of the Board of Directors of the Deep Brain Stimulation and Movement Disorder Surgery Association
Vice President of the Neuromodulation Technologies Research, Development and Patient Education Association
Vice President of the Stereotactic and Functional Pain and Epilepsy Surgery Group
(Turkish Neurosurgical Society)
Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Turkish Neurosurgical Society

The clinic where the doctor practices

Ataşehir Medicana International Hospital

4.2

22 reviews

Turkey, Istanbul

Published 31.01.2026, Updated 24.10.2026