Surgery

The surgical clinic, led by Prof. Dr. med. Georg Gradl (trauma surgery, orthopaedics and spine surgery) and Prof. Dr. med. Trupka (endocrine surgery), specializes particularly in the fields of endocrine surgery, visceral and minimally invasive surgery, as well as trauma surgery/orthopedics. Around 3.500 patients are in inpatient care here yearly. Both the specialists in the clinic are highly regarded in their respective fields, as are the clinic’s cooperation partners who extend the range of medical services provided.

The department provides care to newly injured patients and those with long-term injuries, as well as offering a range of outpatient and inpatient diagnostics and treatments within the scope of orthopedics and sports medicine. Highly specialized orthopedic surgeons and trauma surgeons offer a broad spectrum of orthopedic surgeries in our hospital. A list of cooperation partners and links to their sites can be found below.

Dr. med. Michael Schubert
www.apex-spine.de

Dr. med. Armin Helmbrecht
www.apex-spine.de

Dr. med. Alfred Eichbichler
www.orthopraxx.de

Dr. med. Martin Nolde
www.orthopraxx.de

Dr. med. Rüdiger Neitzel
www.pro.u.de

Lecturer Dr. med. Manfred Pfahler
www.pro-u.de

Dr. med. Ulli Kinkelin
www.pro.u.de

Dr. med. Steffen Zenta
www.mvz-im-helios.de

Targeting stomach and colorectal surgery, minimally invasive surgery and hernia surgery, the department addresses a wide variety of ailments.

Within the subspecialty ‘stomach and colorectal surgery’, the department operatively treats a large number of malignant illnesses related to the stomach, colon and/or rectum. As a successful therapy and positive prognosis are greatly influenced by the surgical component, the department adheres to the most current tumor guidelines and special surgical techniques (e.g. Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) according to Heald for rectal cancer). Along with ‘fast track rehabilitation’, an interdisciplinary post-operative rehabilitative component, the aim is optimal healing and rapid recovery.

In the subspecialty ‘minimally invasive surgery’, as the name implies, a more ‘gentle’ surgical approach is used, where possible, for less postoperative pain, less blood loss, a better cosmetic result and swift healing. A number of minimally invasive procedures are performed in the department, including:

• Removal of the appendix/gallbladder/spleen/adrenal glands
• Removal of benign stomach tumors
• Nissen fundoplication
• Rectopexy, and more

The department also treats inguinal, femoral and abdominal (umbilical, incisional) hernias. Both ‘conventional’, open methods, with and without net, and minimally invasive methods are regularly used:

• Shouldice without net
• Lichtenstein with net
• TEP, TAPP, IPOM
• Abdominoplasty for incisional hernias

The endocrine surgery department diagnoses and surgically treats illnesses related to:

The thyroid gland

Such as with Basedow’s, thyroid cancer, recurring goiter and MEN syndrome (multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome)

The parathyroid glands

• Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT)
• Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT)
• Recurring or persisting hyperparathyroidism
• Primary hyperparathyroidism due to MEN syndrome

The adrenal glands

• Conn syndrome (generally very small, benign tumors of the adrenal cortex)
• Cushing syndrome (adenoma in one adrenal gland or hyperplasia on both sides)
• Phaeochromocytoma (tumor on one or both sides of the adrenal medulla)
• Incidentaloma (incidentally found, hormonally inactive adrenal tumor)

When possible, a minimally invasive technique is used, as this reduces postoperative pain, blood loss and promotes accelerated healing:

• Minimally invasive, video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT)
• Minimally invasive, video-assisted parathyroidectomy (MIVAP)
• Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy (total adrenal gland removal)
• Transperitoneal laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy (partial adrenal gland removal depending on tumor type)