Hospital Cologne-Merheim - Departments

The Department of Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine offers the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services in the fields of its competence. The specialists at the medical facility perform image-guided examinations every day, including diagnostics with radioisotopes. In many cases, the results of these tests provide doctors with comprehensive information about the condition of the affected organs and allow them to carry out effective treatment. The department's doctors also successfully perform image-guided minimally invasive interventional procedures for stroke, brain aneurysms, tumors, vascular stenosis, vascular obstructions, abscesses, angiomas, and other diseases. The source of the department's pride is its state-of-the-art equipment, such as a high-performance SOMATOM Definition Flash computer tomography scanner, several 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging devices, and a dual-plane angiography system. Patients' clinical data is stored in the picture archiving and communication system (PACS), thanks to which doctors can quickly process and transfer the diagnostic results to different departments at the hospital. Almost all diagnostic tests are performed on an outpatient basis. However, a short-term hospital stay is often required for interventional therapeutic procedures. The department's specialists work for the benefit of patients, providing them with top-class medical care in accordance with international standards.

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Ophthalmology is one of the best German medical centers in the field of its competence. The department provides the full range of modern medical services for the diagnostics and treatment of eye diseases in patients of all age groups. For the provision of optimal medical care, the department has special outpatient clinics and state-of-the-art operating rooms with all necessary equipment, including microscopes and laser systems. The department has an advanced Eye Bank, thanks to which patients can receive suitable donor material in the shortest possible time. The department successfully practices innovative treatment using stem cell transplants. The medical facility also possesses vast experience in performing intravitreal injections for macular edema, macular degeneration, and retinal vascular pathologies. Of particular interest in the field of pediatric ophthalmology is the treatment of young patients with strabismus and retinopathy of prematurity. The department has 32 beds for patient stay. However, many therapeutic procedures and operations are performed on an outpatient basis. The department's source of pride is its excellent diagnostic equipment, including the Pentacam device, HRT III system with corneal module, corneal pachymetry device, Humphrey visual field analyzer, and other devices.

The Department of Gastroenterology offers all the possibilities of modern medicine in the field of its competence. The medical facility provides diagnostics and effective treatment for diseases of the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, esophagus, and pancreas. The department's team of gastroenterologists has exceptional professional skills in the treatment of patients with oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In such cases, abdominal surgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists, and other highly specialized physicians work hand in hand. The department also has vast experience in the treatment of benign digestive diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, infectious gastrointestinal diseases, achalasia cardia, Zenker's diverticulum, gastritis, ulcers, polyps, etc. During treatment, the department's physicians strive to use only drug therapy and diet therapy, but they may also resort to endoscopic procedures. The department houses the largest Endoscopy Center in North Rhine-Westphalia, where more than 12,000 procedures are performed every year. The center has state-of-the-art equipment, thanks to which the efficiency and safety of endoscopic procedures are at a high level. High-quality sedatives are used for the maximum comfort of patients during endoscopic treatment.

The Department of Thoracic Surgery and Pulmonology provides medical care to patients with diseases of the respiratory system and chest, except for heart pathologies. Cancer treatment is one of the priority areas of the department's clinical practice. The medical facility is certified as the Lung Cancer Center and the Pleural Mesothelioma Center by the German Cancer Society (DKG). The department also admits patients with benign lung diseases, including interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary emphysema, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension. The department's diagnostic options include laboratory tests, instrumental examinations, pulmonary function tests, and bronchoscopic procedures. The range of therapeutic services includes drug therapy, endoscopic procedures, laser treatment methods, and sparing surgical interventions using the VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) technique. Medical care is provided both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. During the therapeutic process, doctors strictly follow current clinical protocols, thereby ensuring the high effectiveness and safety of treatments.

The Department of Nephrology provides diagnostics and treatment for the full range of kidney diseases, including kidney lesions due to arterial hypertension and systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Wegener's granulomatosis, Goodpasture syndrome, and others. The department's specialists conduct all types of renal replacement therapy (dialysis) for patients with acute and chronic kidney failure. The department has 80 beds for inpatients and also houses specialized outpatient clinics. The department's kidney transplant program involves close cooperation with the Transplant Center Cologne, which, in turn, cooperates with the University Hospital Cologne. The center is one of the largest German medical facilities where kidney transplant surgery is actively performed. Nephrologists are responsible for the care of patients before and after kidney transplant surgery, while specialized surgeons are in charge of the kidney transplant itself. The department's patients undergo intensive therapy in a modern specialized unit whenever required. The highly competent team of doctors takes care of the patients' health. The specialists have all the necessary resources to provide patients with effective treatment in a comfortable environment.

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgery, Spinal Surgery specializes in the full range of surgical interventions for diseases, malformations, and injuries of the brain, spinal cord, spine, and peripheral nerves. Surgical procedures are performed in three state-of-the-art operating rooms equipped with navigation systems for the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries, operating microscopes, an intraoperative X-ray system, electrophysiological monitoring systems, fluorescence navigation devices with 5-aminolevulinic acid, and other necessary medical devices. The department's highly qualified neurosurgeons perform more than 3,100 operations of various complexity every year. Of particular interest is the treatment of patients with brain and spinal cord tumors, vascular malformations, spinal disk herniations, spinal canal stenosis, and spinal stabilization surgery. Innovative stereotactic interventions on the brain are successfully performed in the health facility. The team of surgeons is deservedly proud of their high treatment success rates, while the availability of advanced equipment in the department ensures the highest safety of operations for the patient. Neurologists and neuroradiologists are often involved in the therapeutic process and cooperatively consider complex clinical cases and plan optimal treatment.

According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Neurology and Epileptology ranks among the top German medical centers specializing in multiple sclerosis treatment! The department offers the full range of modern diagnostics and treatments for diseases of the brain and spinal cord, peripheral nerve endings, and muscles. Particular attention in clinical practice is paid to the care of patients with stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, and chronic headaches. There are 80 beds in the department for a hospital stay. The department's specialists annually admit more than 3,000 inpatients with neurological diseases of varying severity, and many patients receive medical care in outpatient clinics every year. Neurologists cooperate closely with neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and neurological rehabilitation specialists, thanks to which the department provides comprehensive treatment that meets the standards of European medicine. During the therapeutic process, doctors use effective drug therapy regimens with pills, injection therapy, infusions, botulinum toxin therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures, therapeutic gymnastics, massage, and other methods. The doctors always take into account the individual needs and wishes of the patients, ensuring comfort and a friendly atmosphere in the department.

According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hand Surgery, Reconstructive Burn Surgery ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in plastic reconstructive interventions! The department offers the full range of modern surgical services in the areas of its specialization. The department performs aesthetic plastic surgery aimed at improving a patient's appearance based on their preferences, as well as reconstructive procedures for congenital and acquired defects. The medical facility also provides both conservative and surgical treatment for hand diseases and injuries and offers medical care to patients with burns of varying severity. The department has been engaged in clinical activities since 1970 and is one of the first highly specialized German medical facilities in the field of plastic surgery. State-of-the-art and proven surgical techniques are used in the department's clinical practice, allowing the specialists to achieve optimal results, including aesthetic aspects. The department's surgeons give preference to low-traumatic interventions, after which patients do not require a long recovery. Prior to surgery, patients receive the necessary information about surgical techniques and the expected outcomes, including computer-generated images of their future appearance. This approach allows the specialists to take into account the slightest nuances and satisfy the patient's wishes as much as possible.

The Department of Radiation Therapy carries out all types of modern radiation therapy at the highest technological level, strictly adhering to radiation protection standards. The department has two powerful Elekta Synergy linear accelerators and a GammaMed plus IX BrachyVision device for radiation therapy using the afterloading technique. An irradiation scheme is planned on a Toshiba Aquilion Large Bore CT scanner with a 90 cm gentry aperture. Combined chemoradiation therapy is also performed here in collaboration with relevant specialists. In most cases, radiation therapy is provided on an outpatient basis without a mandatory hospital stay. The key focus is on radiation therapy for patients with breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, prostate cancer, and head and neck tumors. The department's medical team also specializes in radiation therapy for patients with benign diseases. The health of patients is in the safe hands of a highly professional team of experienced doctors who develop a customized course of radiation therapy for each patient, provide detailed information about the peculiarities of the upcoming treatment and the expected results, and support patients during the therapeutic process. Close cooperation between the department's radiation therapists and surgeons, oncologists, and doctors from other related disciplines plays a crucial role in treatment success.

According to the prestigious Focus magazine, the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in knee, hip, and shoulder surgery! The department offers the full range of medical services in the areas of its specialization. In the field of orthopedics, the key focus is on knee and hip replacement surgery. The department is certified as the Maximum Care Center for Joint Replacement Surgery by the German Society for Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery (DGOOC). The specialists at the Center for Joint Replacement Surgery perform more than 550 knee and hip joint replacement surgical interventions every year, and therefore they are rightfully proud of their vast clinical experience and successful results in this field. The department's orthopaedists also successfully perform minimally traumatic arthroscopic joint interventions. The team of trauma surgeons is responsible for the conservative and surgical treatment of musculoskeletal injuries of varying severity. The department has the status of a supraregional Trauma Center and cooperates closely with the University Hospital Cologne in this field. The medical facility offers innovative treatment methods, state-of-the-art equipment, and highly skilled professionals, which form a solid foundation for successful clinical practice. Despite technological advances and the automation of many clinical processes, the focus of the department's physicians is on the patients with their individual needs and wishes.

The Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Endocrine Surgery, Vascular Surgery and Bariatric Surgery offers surgical treatment for a wide range of diseases. The department performs operations for pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, rectum, bowel, anus, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, and adrenal glands. Particular competence is in the surgical treatment of stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and peritoneal carcinomatosis. Surgeons also specialize in the treatment of hernias, including inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias, and anterior abdominal wall hernias. The department admits patients with diseases of the vascular system, including occlusive peripheral arterial disease, carotid artery stenosis, and abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. Another important focus in the department's clinical activity is bariatric surgery on patients with morbid obesity. The specialists excellently perform gastric banding, gastric bypass, sleeve gastroplasty, intragastric balloon placement, and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. The department regularly performs minimally invasive surgical techniques, promoting rapid postoperative recovery, minimizing pain, and practically eliminating health risks for the patient. The department's operating rooms have state-of-the-art equipment that allows for the most sparing and safe surgical treatment.

The Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Endocrinology offers the full range of medical services for patients with heart, vascular, and endocrine diseases. In the field of cardiology, special attention is paid to interventional catheter-based procedures, treatment of heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias), emergency care for acute coronary syndrome, and cardiac imaging diagnostics. The department's angiologists have all the necessary resources for the diagnostics and treatment of arterial, venous, and lymphatic vessel diseases. The primary clinical focus of the department's endocrinologists is the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as other types of diabetes mellitus and endocrinopathies. The department houses two state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories where numerous effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventional procedures are performed. The department also widely uses drug therapy with pills, infusions, and injections. The medical team, consisting of 32 staff members, takes care of the health of patients. The specialists are always open to dialog with their patients, striving to take into account their individual needs and wishes. In 2021, a new building for the Section of Cardiology was put into operation. It is designed in accordance with the "Cardiology of the Future'' concept, which means that the very latest technologies and concepts of medical care for patients with heart disease are implemented here.