Gastroenterologists for Gastroscopy

Sazanidis Vasileios is a Gastroenterologist and maintains a private practice in Dafni. He graduated from the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and received a scholarship from the Hellenic Foundation of Gastroenterology and Nutrition for advanced training in the United Kingdom, specializing in interventional endoscopy at the Victoria Hospital of Blackpool. During his training, he performed a large number of colonoscopies, gastroscopies, sigmoidoscopies, ERCPs, as well as endoscopic gastrostomies, esophageal stent placements, esophageal variceal ligations, endoscopic hemostasis, esophageal dilations, and numerous polypectomies and mucosectomies. He specialized in Internal Medicine at the 424 General Military Training Hospital of Thessaloniki and in Gastroenterology at the 1st Propaedeutic University Clinic of the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko." He has worked at the private clinic "Central Clinic of Athens" and as an external Scientific Collaborator at the Hepatology Clinic of the University Gastroenterology Clinic of the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko." Since 2019, he has been working at the Diagnostic Medical Center "Kosmoiatriki" and has been working periodically as a Gastroenterologist in various hospitals in the United Kingdom since 2014, conducting clinical work, endoscopies, and outpatient clinics (Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Bournemouth - Darlington Memorial Hospital, Darlington - St Helier Hospital, London - James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth - Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol). Finally, he is an Accredited Member of the British Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (JAG).

Kapetanakis Nikolaos MD, PhD is a Gastroenterologist and operates a private Gastroenterology Center in Volos. He holds a PhD from the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, specializing in colorectal cancer, specifically the role of Helicobacter pylori in colorectal carcinogenesis. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the General Hospital of Volos and specialized in Gastroenterology at Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, where he also served as a Scientific Collaborator in the Gastroenterology Department of the 2nd Internal Medicine Clinic. Additionally, he has participated in numerous conferences in Greece and abroad, has published articles in several international scientific journals, and is a member of the Hellenic Gastroenterological Society.

Lazaridis Nikolaos MD MSc PhD is a Gastroenterologist specialized in Interventional Endoscopy and Enteroscopy. He maintains a private practice in the center of Thessaloniki on Agias Sofias Street. He completed his doctoral dissertation at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds a medical degree from the same university. He specialized in Gastroenterology at the AHEPA University General Hospital of Thessaloniki and subsequently received further training in Interventional Endoscopy, Enteroscopy (capsule endoscopy and interventional enteroscopy), and Transnasal Endoscopy at the Royal Free Hospital in London (under the direction of Dr. Edward J. Despott, Head of the Endoscopy Department). Additionally, he specialized in interventional endoscopy at Jichi University Hospital in Japan. Following this, he remained at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where he has since worked as a permanent endoscopist in the hospital’s Endoscopy Department, performing numerous interventional endoscopic procedures. He completed his doctoral research on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and holds a postgraduate degree in Health Units Management from the Hellenic Open University. He has served as a scientific collaborator at the 2nd Propaedeutic University Clinic of Hippocrates Hospital and at the 1st University Clinic of AHEPA Hospital in Thessaloniki. Finally, he is a member of numerous scientific societies, has attended numerous Greek and international conferences, participated in various specialized seminars, and has publications and written presentations both in Greece and abroad.

Το Πολυϊατρείο Affidea Καλλιθέας εξυπηρετεί ασθενείς από το νότιο κέντρο της Αθήνας, με έμφαση στην αξιόπιστη και γρήγορη πρόσβαση σε βασικές ιατρικές ειδικότητες. Ιδανικό για τακτική παρακολούθηση, προληπτικούς ελέγχους και γυναικολογική φροντίδα.

Karlaftis Anastasios MD is a Gastroenterologist - Hepatologist and maintains a private practice in Metamorfosi, while also collaborating with the endoscopy department of the diagnostic center "Ionio Iatriki." He is a PhD candidate at the University Gastroenterology Clinic of the Medical School of the University of Athens and a graduate of the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He specialized in the Gastroenterology Clinic of the General Hospital of Athens "G. Gennimatas" and has worked in major hospitals such as the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko," the General Hospital of Athens "Alexandra," and the General Hospital of Chania "Agios Georgios." The physician has participated in numerous scientific meetings and seminars and has numerous presentations in both foreign-language and Greek-language conferences. Additionally, he has several publications in Greek and international journals. During his tenure in university clinics, he has also contributed to teaching by delivering numerous lessons to medical students. Finally, despite practicing private medicine, he continues his research and writing activities, and recently his first book was published, entitled "Modern Guidelines in Gastroenterology and Hepatology."

Dr. Stefanos Tarazis is a Gastroenterologist – Hepatologist, MD, PhD, with extensive experience in clinical gastroenterology and interventional endoscopy. He first graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, before completing his Medical Degree at the University of Ioannina. In 1997, he obtained his PhD from the Medical School of the University of Athens and received his specialization in Gastroenterology the same year. Later, in 2022, he also earned a specialization in Clinical Pharmacology. He completed his subspecialty training in Interventional Endoscopy at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, United Kingdom.Dr. Tarazis began his professional career at the Rural Medical Clinic of Derviziana in Ioannina and went on to train in Internal Medicine at the General Hospital of Patission and in Gastroenterology at the NIMTS Hospital in Athens. During his time in the UK, he served as H. Registrar at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, gaining advanced clinical and endoscopic expertise. Since 1998, he has been practicing as a private gastroenterologist in Athens. From 2005 to 2015, he served as a Scientific Associate at Evangelismos Hospital, and since 2015, he has held the position of Director of Clinical Trials and Adverse Drug Reactions at the National Organization for Medicines (EOF). In addition, since 1999, he has been a consulting physician at Mediterraneo Hospital.He is a member of the Athens Medical Association, the Hellenic Gastroenterological Society, the Hellenic Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group, and the UK General Medical Council (GMC). He speaks English and French fluently. His private practice is located at 34 Efthroniou Street, behind the Caravel Hotel in Athens, where he sees patients by appointment daily.

Dr. Raftopoulos Ioannis MD is a Specialist in Internal Medicine - Gastroenterology and maintains a private practice in Vrilissia. He graduated from the Medical School of Democritus University of Thrace. After 14 years of continuous clinical experience in Germany, he returned to Greece, bringing advanced expertise and specialized experience in interventional gastroenterology. During his tenure, he completed his specialties in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, performing thousands of endoscopies, with a focus on advanced techniques such as ERCP and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS).

He served for 5 years at a major Academic Hospital in Wuppertal (University of Bochum), where he was responsible for the education of medical students through seminars and presentations. Subsequently, he worked as a Consultant at Nettetal Hospital, performing a large number of interventional procedures.

He has comprehensive training and extensive experience in transabdominal ultrasound, as well as in performing numerous diagnostic and therapeutic punctures, ensuring comprehensive patient management. He specializes in interventional endoscopy (ERCP, EUS) and the use of advanced imaging techniques for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases.

The physician possesses extensive clinical experience and adopts a patient-centered approach. He firmly believes in thorough investigation of each case and in building a trust-based relationship with his patients, providing high-standard medical care based on German organizational standards and medical ethics.

Dr Med Katsoulis Stauros Kai Synergates is a Specialist Gastroenterologist - Hepatologist, Specialist Pathologist, and Intensivist, with a practice based in Chania. He is a graduate and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Göttingen Medical School and an Assistant Professor at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. He completed his full specialization in Germany, where he worked for 33 years at the highest level of German medicine. From 2002 to 2019, he served as the Director of Gastroenterology at the KKLE Hospital in Germany, an Academic Teaching Hospital of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. He has published numerous articles in international scientific journals and has presented research findings from his work. The modern gastroenterology clinic is fully equipped with high-resolution endoscopes from Olympus. It also features a new ultrasound device from Canon (Xario 200G) for ultrasounds of the upper and lower abdomen, as well as a device for performing respiratory tests for food intolerances (such as lactose, fructose, etc.). Finally, the doctor collaborates with the private Gavrilakis Clinic in Chania.

Matina - Lydia Xatzinikolaou MD, PhD is a Gastroenterologist who sees patients in Cholargos at Metropolitan General Hospital. She graduated from the Athens College and subsequently studied Medicine at Nottingham University in England. She holds a PhD from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She completed further training in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases at the Royal Free Hospital in London, after completing her specialty in Gastroenterology at the Athens Anti-Cancer - Oncology Hospital "Agios Savvas." She works as a Consultant in the Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy Clinic at Metropolitan General Hospital and is a Scientific Associate of the Gastroenterology Unit at the Athens Chest Diseases Hospital "Sotiria," with her primary specialization in inflammatory bowel diseases. She actively participates in Greek and international conferences and has authored scientific publications. Finally, she is a member of the Athens Medical Association, the Hellenic Gastroenterological Society, the Hellenic Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, and the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation.

Digenakis Emmanouil is a Gastroenterologist and maintains a private practice in Chania. He graduated from the Medical School of the University of Thessaly, specialized in the Gastroenterology Clinic of PAGNI, and received advanced training in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) at GNA Gennimatas. The physician has served as a Consultant at Primary Healthcare Centers of the 2nd Regional Health Authority and at the General Hospital of Piraeus "Tzaneio," while maintaining collaborations with the Hippocrates Diagnostic Center (Nikaia), General Clinic Therapeutirion Athinon (Kypseli), and MediOne Group, where he is the scientific director of the endoscopic-gastroenterological department. The physician manages a wide range of cases, always focusing on providing the best possible care tailored to each patient's needs.

Dr. Pappas Vasileios is a Gastroenterologist - Hepatologist specialized at the General Hospital of Attica Sismanoglio. His clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art endoscopes and a video processor (Full HD) with digital chromoendoscopy capability (for the detection of early lesions of the upper and lower digestive system), as well as modern disinfection and sterilization equipment. The physician provides comprehensive endoscopic examination of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract (gastroscopy, colonoscopy, rectoscopy), performs polyp removal, endoscopic gastrostomy, esophageal variceal ligation, endoscopic dilations, and investigates gastrointestinal symptoms (dysphagia, odynophagia, dyspeptic discomfort, nausea - vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, acute and chronic diarrheal syndrome, constipation, fecal incontinence). The clinic also conducts the Hydrogen Breath Test for the diagnosis of intolerance to foods containing lactose, fructose, as well as for the diagnosis of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. As part of continuous medical education, the physician has participated in numerous national and pan-European conferences.