The synergy of Prof. Dr. Siyami Ersek and Sureyyapasa Chest Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital has helped the development of thoracic surgery in Turkey. Despite the reputation of Dr. Siyami Ersek in cardiovascular surgery, his work as a thoracic surgeon in Sureyyapasa was as successful as it is cardiovascular surgery. Analysis of the records of the hospital showed many successful examples of oncological and non-oncological surgeries. Sureyyapasa Hospital was founded in 1950 as a lung disease center. Chest diseases specialty training in 1953 and thoracic surgery specialty training in 1957 were started. So far, many esteemed specialists have been trained in this facility. Through the hospital records, in time when Dr. Siyami Ersek was working in Sureyyapasa (1958-1963), 915 operations were performed with a 12.02% of lung cancer. In those days, Dr. Siyami Ersek helped the development of thoracic surgery in Turkey with taking the responsibility of many thoracic surgery centers. Between 1958 and 1963, 16 cases operated by Dr. Siyami Ersek in Sureyyapasa Hospital due to lung cancer were recorded in the thesis of Dr. Ilhan Akkus and these patients were the first experience of lung cancer surgery in Sureyyapasa. When Dr. Siyami Ersek was in Sureyyapasa, thoracic surgery dramatically developed and many patients with chest diseases were treated. In 1963, he continued his work as a cardiac surgeon in Haydarpasa Hospital, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery where he founded.

Keywords : Dr. Siyami Ersek; Sureyyapasa Hospital; Thoracic Surgery