Prof. Dr. Alper Fındıkçıoğlu

Prof. Dr. Alper Fındıkçıoğlu is a private thoracic surgery practice established in 2024. The clinic is located within Acibadem Adana Hospital in the Seyhan district of Adana, Türkiye. It operates as a single-department facility focused on surgical care for chest and lung diseases.

Academic Background and Expertise

The practice is led by Prof. Dr. Alper Fındıkçıoğlu, a thoracic surgery specialist. He earned his medical degree at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine. He then completed his residency at the Istanbul Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic.

Dr. Fındıkçıoğlu has participated in numerous scientific projects. His research covers several key areas of thoracic care:

• Malignant pleural effusions (fluid buildup around the lungs)
• Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) techniques
• Patient comfort and pain management after thoracotomy
• Cost-effectiveness analyses in thoracic procedures
• Immunological markers in non-small cell lung carcinomas

He became an Associate Professor in 2014 and a full Professor in 2022. The medical team includes three specialized doctors.

Thoracic Surgery and Lung Cancer Care

The clinic focuses on diagnosing and surgically treating diseases of the lungs, pleura, and chest wall. Treatment plans are tailored to the disease stage and the patient's health. The surgical team performs several types of lung resections:

• Lobectomy – removing the lung lobe containing the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes.
• Pneumonectomy – surgical removal of an entire lung, often needed for centrally located tumors.
• Wedge Resection – removing a small, wedge-shaped portion of diseased lung tissue.
• Segmentectomy – removal of a specific anatomical segment of a lung lobe.

For esophageal cancer, the clinic performs esophagectomy to remove the cancerous segment. Surgeons then restore digestive continuity by creating a gastric tube from the stomach using special stapling devices.

Minimally Invasive Techniques

Specialists prioritize minimally invasive methods to reduce pain and speed recovery. They use Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted techniques for lung and mediastinal operations. VATS uses a camera with angled lenses and small incisions instead of a large chest opening.

The clinic also treats non-cancerous conditions. Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS) addresses excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis). This procedure is done through a small underarm incision under general anesthesia. Most ETS patients go home the evening of surgery.

Zenker's diverticulum (a pouch in the esophagus) is treated using two approaches:

• Endoscopic Diverticulostomy – a mouth-based procedure using lasers or staplers with no neck incision.
• Transcervical Approach – open surgery through the neck that includes a cricopharyngeal myotomy.

The endoscopic approach typically allows for shorter recovery and discharge the next day.

Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Technologies

The clinic uses advanced diagnostic tools to map diseases and plan surgeries. PET-CT and contrast-enhanced CT scans show tumor size and spread. Pulmonary function tests help predict if a patient can safely live with one lung. Tissue sampling is done through EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound-guided biopsy) and bronchoscopy.

Postoperative recovery follows a structured rehabilitation pathway. Patients use Triflow (blowing balls) devices for breathing exercises to help the lung re-expand properly. After minimally invasive thoracic surgery, the average hospital stay is 3 to 5 days. Patients spend one night in a close monitoring room before moving to the ward.

Services for International Patients

International patients receive clinical information in English to help them understand their options. The clinic offers a WhatsApp contact channel for quick coordination of medical inquiries. Prof. Dr. Alper Fındıkçıoğlu communicates in English, German, Arabic, and Russian. Rapid coordination services help international patients manage their diagnosis and surgical timelines.