# Frequently asked questions > Answers to common questions about consultations with Prof. Dr. Günter Hafız in Istanbul: appointments, what to bring, insurance, and head and neck surgery. Source: https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/faq/ Updated: 2026-10-13 FAQ Practical answers about appointments, insurance and what to expect. Medical questions are answered in general terms; your own situation is discussed at the consultation. ## Your visit **How do I make an appointment?** Write on WhatsApp to +90 532 374 81 15 for the quickest answer, call the same number, or e-mail info@gunterhafiz.com. Consultations are held Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 17:00. **Where is the practice?** At Selenium Plaza, Hakkı Yeten Caddesi, Dikilitaş, Beşiktaş, on the European side of Istanbul. The full address and a Google Maps link are on the contact page. **What should I bring to the first consultation?** Any biopsy or pathology reports, imaging such as CT, MRI, PET or ultrasound with their written reports (on disc or as files), a list of your medicines, a summary of previous treatment and your insurance details if you plan to use them. **Which insurers are accepted?** Allianz, AXA, Anadolu Sigorta, Mapfre Sigorta, Bupa Acıbadem Sigortası, SenCard, Banka Sigortaları and TBMM Sigortası. Cover depends on your own policy, so check with your insurer before the visit. **Does Prof. Hafız see children?** The practice sees adult patients. ## About head and neck surgery **What does an ear, nose and throat and head and neck surgeon treat?** Diseases of the ear, nose, throat, mouth, voice box, thyroid and salivary glands, and the lymph nodes of the neck. Prof. Hafız's work is centred on tumours of these regions and the surgery that treats them. **I have a lump in my neck. Should I be worried?** Many neck lumps are enlarged lymph nodes from an infection or harmless cysts. A lump that lasts more than a few weeks, grows, or is hard and does not hurt should be examined by a specialist, particularly in adults who smoke. **I have been hoarse for several weeks. Should I be examined?** Yes. Hoarseness that lasts more than a few weeks should be checked with an examination of the voice box. Most causes are harmless, but a lesion of the vocal cords is treated most simply when it is found early. **What is nerve monitoring in thyroid surgery?** The nerves that move the vocal cords run directly behind the thyroid. During the operation a small electrode records the response of the vocal cord muscles, so that the nerves can be identified and protected while the gland is removed. **Will I need radiotherapy as well as surgery?** That depends on the type and stage of the tumour and on the pathology report of the removed tissue. After the operation the report is discussed with you, and any further treatment is explained and planned. ## Questions by operation ### [Head and neck cancer surgery](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/head-neck-cancer-surgery/) **Is surgery always the first treatment?** Not always. Depending on the site and stage of the tumour, treatment may be surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination, in an order decided for each person. Prof. Hafız explains which options apply to you and why. **Will I be able to speak and swallow after the operation?** Preserving speech and swallowing is one of the main goals when an operation is planned. What can be preserved depends on where the tumour is and how far it has spread; this is discussed openly before you decide. **What should I bring to the first consultation?** Any biopsy or pathology report, imaging such as CT, MRI or PET scans with their written reports, a list of your medicines and a summary of your previous treatment. ### [Thyroid and parathyroid surgery](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/thyroid-parathyroid-surgery/) **Will my voice change?** The nerves that move the vocal cords run directly behind the thyroid. Prof. Hafız uses nerve monitoring during the operation to identify and protect them. A temporary weakness of the voice can occur and usually recovers; a lasting change is uncommon. **Will I need to take thyroid hormone tablets?** After removal of the whole gland, yes, for life, with the dose adjusted by blood tests. After removal of one half, many people do not need tablets; this is checked afterwards. **What does the scar look like?** The incision is placed low in the front of the neck, along a natural skin crease, and usually fades to a thin line over the following months. ### [Laryngeal cancer surgery](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/laryngeal-cancer-surgery/) **Will I lose my voice?** Many laryngeal cancers, especially when found early, can be removed while preserving the voice box. When the whole larynx must be removed, speech can be restored with a voice prosthesis or other methods, and Prof. Hafız discusses this with you before the operation. **What is transoral laser surgery?** An operation in which the tumour is removed through the mouth, under a microscope, with a laser, leaving no cut in the neck. It is used for suitable early tumours. **Can the larynx be saved with radiotherapy instead?** For some tumours radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy is an alternative to surgery. The choice depends on the stage and site of the tumour, on your general health and on your wishes. ### [Oral cavity and tongue cancer](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/oral-cavity-tongue-cancer/) **Will I be able to eat and speak normally?** For small tumours, eating and speech usually return close to normal after healing. For larger ones, rebuilding the tongue or floor of the mouth with tissue from elsewhere is planned so that swallowing and speech are preserved as far as possible, and therapy afterwards helps. **Do I need to see a dentist first?** Often, yes. Teeth in poor condition are treated before surgery or radiotherapy, and a dental assessment is part of the plan when the jaw or teeth are involved. **Is a white or red patch in the mouth dangerous?** Some patches (leukoplakia and erythroplakia) are precancerous. They should be examined, often biopsied, and followed closely. ### [Salivary gland tumour surgery](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/salivary-gland-tumour-surgery/) **Is a parotid lump usually cancer?** Most tumours of the parotid gland are benign, but they grow and can change over time, so they are usually removed. A needle biopsy and imaging give a good idea beforehand; the final answer comes from the pathologist. **What happens to the facial nerve?** The nerve that moves the face runs through the parotid gland. It is identified and protected during the operation, with nerve monitoring when appropriate. A temporary weakness can occur and usually recovers. **Will my mouth be dry afterwards?** Usually not. The remaining salivary glands normally produce enough saliva after one gland is removed. ### [Neck dissection and neck masses](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/neck-dissection-neck-masses/) **Is a lump in the neck always serious?** No. Many neck lumps are enlarged lymph nodes from an infection, cysts or benign tumours. A lump that lasts for more than a few weeks, grows, or is hard and does not hurt should be examined, particularly in adults. **What is the difference between a selective and a comprehensive neck dissection?** A selective neck dissection removes the groups (levels) of lymph nodes most likely to be involved and spares the others, together with the muscle, vein and nerve of the neck. A comprehensive dissection removes more levels and, when the cancer involves them, some of those structures as well. **Will my shoulder be affected?** The nerve to the shoulder muscle runs through the area. It is preserved whenever the cancer allows, and physiotherapy helps shoulder movement recover afterwards. ### [Transoral laser surgery](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/transoral-laser-surgery/) **Is laser surgery less effective than an open operation?** For suitable early tumours the results are comparable, with less effect on voice and swallowing and a faster recovery. The choice depends on the site and size of the tumour and on how well it can be exposed through the mouth. **Will I have a scar?** The operation is performed entirely through the mouth, so no cut is made in the skin of the neck. **How will my voice be afterwards?** The voice is hoarse while the area heals and usually improves over a few weeks. The final quality depends on how much of the vocal cord had to be removed; voice therapy can help. ### [Microvascular reconstruction](https://www.gunterhafiz.com/en/services/microvascular-reconstruction/) **Where does the tissue come from?** Commonly the forearm, the thigh or the lower leg (the fibula, when bone is needed). The choice depends on what has to be rebuilt: lining, bulk, bone or skin. **What are the risks to the transferred tissue?** The joined vessels can clot in the first days, which is why the flap is checked frequently after the operation. If a problem is found early, it can often be corrected. **Will the donor site cause problems?** The donor site usually heals over a few weeks and is chosen to preserve function as far as possible. Some numbness and a scar remain; the arm or leg usually returns to normal use with time. [Something else? Write on WhatsApp.](https://wa.me/905323748115?text=Hello%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20request%20an%20appointment%20with%20Prof.%20Dr.%20G%C3%BCnter%20Haf%C4%B1z.) ## Talk it through with Prof. Hafız Consultations at Selenium Plaza, Beşiktaş, Monday to Saturday. Write on WhatsApp or call the practice. [Write on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/905323748115?text=Hello%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20request%20an%20appointment%20with%20Prof.%20Dr.%20G%C3%BCnter%20Haf%C4%B1z.)[+90 532 374 81 15](tel:+905323748115)