Prof. Can Öbek, MD

Prof. Can Öbek, MD is a urologist at Acibadem Taksim Hospital in İstanbul, where he works in the Urology unit with a subspecialty focus on robotic surgery. He has more than 37 years in medicine. His clinical work covers kidney diseases, kidney cancer, kidney stones, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, bladder tumors, urinary incontinence and cystoscopy, with a particular interest in robotic urologic surgery and urologic oncology.

Dr. Öbek graduated from İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 1989 and completed his urology training there in 1995. He undertook a uro-oncology fellowship at Miami University, Miami, FL, USA, under Prof. Mark S Soloway, first in basic research (1995–1996) and later in clinical training (1998–1999). In 2003–2004 he completed an endourology fellowship in endourology, laparoscopic and robotic surgery at Washington University, Seattle, WA, USA, with Dr. James R. Porter. He was appointed Associate Professor in 2003 and Professor in 2011 at İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. He worked in the İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine Department of Urology from 1989 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2015, served as Founding Department Chair at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine from 2006 to 2008, and joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2011. He is a member of the Urological Surgery Association, the Minimally Invasive Urology Association, the Société Internationale d’Urologie, the American Urology Association and the European Urology Association. He has served as Secretary General of the 30th World Congress of the World Endourology Association and as Coordinator of the Prostate Diseases Working Group of the Uro-oncology Association. His publications address robot-assisted radical prostatectomy technique, prostate biopsy and its anesthesia, bladder cancer markers and detection, and robotic versus laparoscopic skill acquisition.

Clinical focus

Dr. Öbek’s practice centers on urologic oncology and minimally invasive, robotic approaches. He assesses and manages prostate cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer and bladder tumors. Robotic urologic surgery is one of the surgical approaches used in his practice, and his published work includes techniques related to robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

He also treats benign conditions of the urinary tract, including kidney diseases, kidney stones, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary incontinence and other aspects of bladder health. Diagnostic procedures such as cystoscopy form part of his work in evaluating bladder disease.

How Dr. Öbek works with international patients

Dr. Öbek consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for other languages. Before a visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory and pathology results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation before traveling.