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Gaziantep University's (GAUN) Sahinbey Research and Practice Hospital has emerged as one of Türkiye's top transplant centers, having carried out 579 corneal transplants over the past three years.
The hospital's Cornea Bank stands out as one of the region's key health centers due to its capacity for corneal transplants, short waiting times, and strengthened technological infrastructure.
Having performed 579 corneal transplants over the past three years, GAUN Sahinbey Research and Practice Hospital ranks among the centers in Türkiye that carry out the highest number of corneal transplants in this field.
While most of the corneas used in the transplants are supplied by centers affiliated with the Cornea Bank, effective organization allows the surgical process for patients applying for a corneal transplant to be completed within one week to one month. This timeframe allows treatment to begin early and increases the success rate of the transplant.
In order to expand the center's diagnostic and treatment capacity, a specular microscope and an anterior segment optical coherence tomography device were put into service at the Cornea Bank in 2026.
The new devices are aimed at enabling more detailed evaluation of corneas before transplantation and more precise monitoring of patients before and after surgery.
Prof. Dr. Alper Mete, a GAUN faculty member and head of the Cornea Bank, stated that the Cornea Bank, which was licensed and began operating in 2018, has today become a major reference center that patients apply to not only from Gaziantep but also from surrounding provinces and areas outside the region.
Noting that their coordination with affiliated centers in sourcing corneas has placed them among the top-ranking centers in Türkiye, Mete said their waiting times have also reached a level considered significant by international standards.
Mete said: "We are able to complete the planning and surgical process for a patient applying to our center for a corneal transplant within one week to one month. The short waiting time allows the patient to undergo surgery earlier and contributes positively to the treatment process."
Noting that a significant portion of the corneas used in transplants are supplied by centers affiliated with the Cornea Bank, Mete said that delivering the cornea to the patient within a short period of time helps preserve tissue quality and increases the success rate of the surgery.
Mete said that risks associated with the surgery have also been reduced thanks to fast supply and effective planning, adding that they will continue to strengthen their technical infrastructure with new equipment and that GAUN will maintain its position among the leading university hospitals performing corneal transplants.
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