Acibadem Sistina Hospital aims to become a reference center for treatment of congenital heart disease in children not only in Macedonia but throughout the Balkans, says Dr. Ender Odemis, head of the Pediatric Cardiology at the Acibadem Atakent University Hospital in Istanbul. As a leading expert in cardiology and one of the most famous in the country he is  member of the Acibadem University. Dr. Odemis together with Dr. Vladimir Chadikovski will be part of the pediatric cardiac surgery team of “Acibadem Sistina” in the following period. He will be engaged not just whenever needed, but as a regular doctor at Acibadem Sistina Hospital. He says it is his second engagement at a hospital in Skopje, but now he has high expectations since a team of ten doctors – cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, anesthesiologists, perfusionists and pediatricians – for cardiology interventions in children is being formed at “Acibadem Sistina”, aiming to become the best in the region. Odemis is categorical that the goals are high and that they can be achieved only with a team of experts.

Dr. Odemis: “Acibadem Sistina” aims to become a reference center for treatment of congenital heart disease in children not only in Macedonia, but in the entire Balkan region. Such an enormous goal can be achieved only with a pediatric multidisciplinary team.

It is a specific and sensitive area for surgeries in children and babies. The team to be formed is serious, but how do you see it and what is your experience in this field?

Dr. Odemis: I have been working at the Acibadem University since 2014 as head of the Interventional Pediatric Cardiology. We are implementing pediatric cardiac program offering services throughout the country and also operating as a reference center at the Middle East Region. Approximately 400 cases per year are treated by interventional transcatheter approach for VSD, ASD, aortic coarctation, pulmonary stenosis etc. These patients don’t need to be operated and they get recovered following interventional catheterization procedures. It gives us perfect opportunities in the way of treating these very complex heart diseases.

Where did you work before?

Odemis: Prior to the Acibadem University, I worked at a public hospital as the founder chief of the hospital.

How will your cooperation with doctors from Macedonia and “Acibadem Sistina” unfold and how often will you come and be available for patients?

Dr. Odemis: Actually, I am not unfamiliar with “Acibadem Sistina” and Macedonia, as I have been here several times and have treated patients in this hospital using interventional catheterization. Immediately after this collaboration, Acibadem Sistina Hospital is planning my second job and I will be here almost every month to examine children with heart defects using echotomography and catheterization.

With whom you will cooperate in the team and what are your expectations here?

Dr. Odemis: A team is being formed to meet the challenges and in my opinion, it would be a serious accredited reference center for pediatric cardiac surgery for the first time in Macedonia. We will strive to be identical to the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Center in Istanbul. There are experts in the team and I believe we will perform excellent interventions.