Colorectal Medicine in Ankara

Colorectal medicine is a field of medicine that focuses on the disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus. Physicians specializing in this field of medicine are called colorectal doctor or colon and rectal doctor. They are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage a wide range of diseases, including Hemorrhoids, Anal itching, Fistulas, Anal fissures, Anal cancer, Colon cancer, Rectal cancer, Chron’s disease, Diverticulitis, Ulcerative colitis, Pilonidal cysts, Rectal prolapse, Fecal incontinence, Anal condyloma, Chronic constipation, Problems with bowel movements and urination.

Colorectal doctors are highly experienced and qualified to use numerous medical procedures to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the colon, rectum, and anus. These procedures include, but are not limited to Physical exams, including evaluation of vital signs and blood pressure, Colonoscopy, Barium enema, Digital rectal examination, Capsule Endoscopy, Proctoscopy, Sigmoidoscopy, Defecating proctography, Bowel surveillance.

Some colorectal doctors are also trained to perform surgery, such as bowel obstruction repair, pelvic laparoscopy, colectomy, colostomy, hemorrhoidectomy, polypectomy, strictureplasty, and more depending on the patient’s particular condition. They can also prescribe medications, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

How Long Should I Stay in Ankara?

The length of stay depends on the type of procedure you underwent. For most diagnostic procedures, you should be able to leave Ankara within 2 to 3 days or until the results are ready. Once the result is ready, you will have to see your colorectal doctor. They will explain the results and discuss the treatment plan with you, if necessary. For surgical procedures, it is wise to stay for 3 to 7 days to let your body recover. You may also need to attend a follow-up checkup where your doctor removes the surgical stitches and monitor your healing progress.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

For many procedures, such as colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, you should be able to resume normal activities within 24 hours or after the sedation wears off. With surgical procedures, it may take around six to twelve weeks until you can go back to your normal activity, with the exception of strenuous activities. Your doctor will give you a recovery timeline, which includes when you can return to work and your full daily activities.

What Aftercare is Required?

Your medical team will give you aftercare instructions. It may include recommended diet, exercises, activity restrictions, and wound care (if any incision were made). For cancer patients, you may need to attend regular checkups. You do have the option to have the checkups with your local doctor at home if you cannot travel to Ankara multiple times. For non-cancer patients, your doctor will decide whether you need a follow-up checkup or not.

What's the Success Rate?

Thanks to the continuous advancement of colorectal medicine, the diagnostic procedures are now more accurate and the treatments are more successful than they were previously. More and more procedures are performed using new techniques and technology as well. For example, your doctor can now explore the entire colon without creating any incision or causing significant discomfort to you by using colon capsule endoscopy. However, this does not mean that there are no risks to colorectal procedures. Although uncommon, you still need to be aware of the risks, such as bleeding and infection.

Are there Alternatives?

In some cases, your general physician may be able to diagnose and treat your condition. However, if they think you need specialist treatment, they will still refer you to a colorectal doctor. 

Colorectal Medicine in and around Ankara

About Ankara

Turkey’s capital Ankara is the second-largest city in the country and has a rich cultural heritage and serves a prominent place in history.

Ankara is a prominent industrial hub of Turkey with many manufacturing plants catering to food, beverage, and the construction of raw materials, etc. Medical tourism is also a major source of revenue for Turkey as it tops the list among the seven countries famous for thermal springs. The Medical Tourist industry in Turkey is growing 10%-15% each year and 2018 saw close to 1 million tourists who visited the country for medical treatments.

While patients from all over the world visit Ankara for medical procedures, most of them are from Libya, Germany, UK, and UAE. The big reason behind this was due to the fact that the treatments and surgical procedures in Turkey are nearly 40% cheaper than in most other European nations. There are world-class hospitals catering to a wide range of medical procedures. The city being a hot tourist destination, many patients enjoy exploring the city while getting treated. Some of the popular hospitals and Clinics frequented by tourists in Ankara include:

• Sanatoryum Hastahanesi
• Ankara University Cebeci Hospital
• SALUSS Medical Center

In addition to the aforementioned services, the recently inaugurated Ankara Bilkent City Hospital that began operations in March 2019, holds the distinction of being the biggest hospital in the country. It boasts a stupendous capacity, housing a total of 3,704 hospital beds.

Popular Areas in Ankara

The Central Anatolia Region is known to host some of the most prolific wine production establishments in the city.

Notably, the well-known Turkish Aerospace Industries, Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayii A.Ş., is based in Ankara's Sincan district. This area is predominately inhabited by Turkish residents.

Ankara is an important city where most of the significant Government related activities are carried out and has become a prominent place for bureaucrats and officials. Çankaya District houses most of the Government buildings and is also one of the most popular residential neighborhoods in Turkey.

Another key urban area in Ankara is Yenimahalle. This district is renowned for the recently popularized Wonderland Eurasia theme park. In merely the first week following its grand opening, the park was thronged by nearly one million eager visitors.

Weather and Climate in Ankara

Ankara is known for its Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers making up the city's weather pattern. Contrastingly, winter seasons can be quite chilly, with the lowest yearly temperature recorded around a frigid -24.9°C. If your timing is lucky, you might even get to revel in a bit of gentle snowfall during the winter months. Namely, back in 2018, the city appreciated snowfall commencing in mid-December, signaling a winter season that was relatively warmer than those of preceding years.

June to August is an ideal time to visit Ankara. After the heat of the summer settles down, these months stay warm and dry. March to May is the next most preferred time for tourists. It is best to avoid the months of December and January, as the city can get unpredictably cold. It receives a good amount of rainfall after the winter between January and March. Hence, if you are visiting Ankara for skiing, then it is wise to reschedule your travel to early January.

Getting around in Ankara

Tourists from all over the world can reach Ankara through its Esenboğa International Airport. The primary airlines serving most of the popular global destinations are:

• Anadolu Jet
• Pegasus Airlines
• SunExpress
• Turkish Airlines

Besides this international airport, it also has the Etimesgut Air Base, the Akıncı Air Base, and the Güvercinlik Army Air Bases.

Visitors can easily navigate through the city courtesy of the efficiently networked metro rail and local bus services. The management and regulation of the railway and bus facilities are efficiently handled by Ankara Electricity and Gas Operations Business.

Ankara Central Railways Station provides connectivity to all primary points within the city. Opting for a taxi from the airport to the city center is also a reasonable choice, with fares approximated around $15. Plus, the overall taxi charges within the city are perceived to be quite fair.

Tourist Visas in Ankara

Electronic Visa Application System of the Republic of Turkey: The Electronic Visa Application System of the Republic of Turkey (e-Visa) is a system that allows citizens of certain countries to obtain a visa to Turkey online. To apply for an e-Visa, you must visit the government website of the e-Visa system. You can check the list of eligible countries on the website.

Visa on arrival: Citizens of certain countries, including Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Kenya, can choose to obtain a visa on arrival in Turkey. However, it is important to note that visa on arrival is not guaranteed, and you may be denied entry if you do not meet all of the requirements.

Visa requirements for citizens of India, China, Russia, and other countries: Citizens of India, China, Russia, and a few other countries must apply for a visa in advance before traveling to Turkey. Visas can be obtained online or at a Turkish embassy or consulate.

Additional Information

• The local currency of Ankara is Turkish Lira. The value of 1 Turkish Lira is equivalent to 0.17 USD.
• Most of the tourist spots in the city accept payments made with credit and debit cards. You can also make use of international money transfer systems. On Municipal buses and metros, you can pay with magnetic cards available at kiosks. However, it is advisable to carry cash to pay at the local buses. Most taxi drivers accept payment in local currencies only.
• ​​​​​​​The tourism police division in Ankara Police Department consists of staff who can speak multiple languages including English, French, Arabic, and Russian. Most of the younger generation and some taxi drivers also understand English. Yet not many might be able to communicate in English though.
• ​​​​​​​If you would like to enjoy the rich culture of the city, then check out the Ankara Opera House. It is popular for ballet performances and theatres. The city has a strong emphasis on arts and music.
• ​​​​​​​Kocatepe Camii is a popular destination for tourists. It is the largest Mosque in Ankara. The Mosque was built in an Ottoman architecture style, for this reason, it resembles the Mosques built in the Ottoman era, such as the famous Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also called the Blue Mosque) in Istanbul.
• ​​​​​​​The major public holidays of Ankara are the New Year’s on January 1, Labor Day on May 1, and Republic Day on October 29. So, plan your visit keeping these National holidays in mind.