Prof. Kamil Yalcin Polat

1. Prof. Kamil Yalcin Polat professional summary

Prof. Kamil Yalcin Polat graduated from Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine in 1986, ranking second in his class. Throughout his academic career, he has specialized in hepatobiliary transplantation and surgical oncology. From 1998 to 2000, he completed a multi-organ transplantation fellowship (liver, kidney, pancreas, and small intestine) at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. During this period, he also worked as a visiting surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In 2004, he performed the first organ transplant in Eastern Anatolia. To date, he has personally performed more than 2,000 liver transplants and nearly 1,500 kidney transplants.

Prof. Polat made history as the first surgeon in the world to successfully perform a living donor liver transplant without using any blood or blood products. He also performed a successful split domino transplant and carried out one of the first robot-assisted living donor liver transplants in Europe. In addition, he successfully split the smallest cadaveric liver ever recorded and transplanted it into two pediatric patients. He has published more than 100 articles in international journals and currently chairs the Ministry of Health’s Scientific Committee on Liver Transplantation.

Prof. Kamil Yalcin Polat with Taha, a child from Algeria who successfully underwent a liver transplant due to Crigler–Najjar syndrome.

2. Areas of expertise

• Liver Diseases
• Kidney Diseases
• Gastrointestinal Diseases
• Endocrine and Thyroid Disorders
• Obesity and Metabolic Disorders
• Biliary and Gallbladder Disorders
• Rectal and Anal Conditions
• Breast Diseases
• Hernias and Abdominal Disorders
• Surgical Oncology

3. Education

• 2021: Professor.
• 1996: Associate Professor.
• 1987-1991: Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, General Surgery Specialization.
• 1980-1986: Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine.

Prof. Kamil Yalcin Polat with Muhammad, a child from Turkey who successfully underwent a liver transplant due to biliary atresia.

4. Professional experience

• 2018 – Present: Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital, General Surgery, Liver & Kidney Transplant, Oncologic Surgery.
• 2010-2018: Memorial Ataşehir Hospital, General Surgery, Liver & Kidney Transplant.
• 2003-2010: Atatürk University Organ Transplantation Training, Research and Implementation Center.
• 1999-2000: U.S.A. New York, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, General Surgery.
• 1998-2000: U.S.A New York, Mount Sinai Hospital, Master’s Degree in HPB Surgery, Liver & Kidney Transplant.
• 1991-2010: Atatürk University Medical Faculty, General Surgery.

5. Awards and Achievements

• The only professor in Europe to perform robotic liver transplantation
• Performed the world’s third ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation procedure
• Performs liver transplantation without the need for blood transfusion
• TÜBİTAK Gold Medal in Chemistry
• TÜBİTAK Scholarship
• Second Prize at the Faculty of Medicine

Professor Kamil Yalçın Polat with Fatima, a patient from Jordan who successfully underwent a liver transplant due to cryptogenic cirrhosis.

6. Professional membership

• Head of Liver Transplant Scientific Board in Ministry of Health
• Turkish Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Association, 2nd President
• Organ Transplantation Organizations Coordination Association, Board Member
• Ministry of Health Kidney Transplantation Scientific Board
• American Society of Transplant Surgeon
• International Hepatopancreatobiliary Association
• International Liver Transplant Society Membership (ILTS)