Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology (646868)

About the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology at Academic Prosper-Hospital Recklinghausen

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology at the Academic Prosper-Hospital Recklinghausen offers the full range of modern diagnostic and therapeutic services for men with diseases of the urogenital system, including boys. The department's doctors specialize in the treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the male reproductive system (prostate, penis, testicles, epididymides), urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra), functional disorders (bladder dysfunction, urinary incontinence, impotence), as well as emergencies (renal colic). The department has progressive operating rooms with all the necessary technical equipment for laparoscopic and robotic interventions using the innovative da Vinci Surgical System. The department is headed by Dr. med. Patrick Faber.

A motivated and highly competent team of doctors and nursing staff take care of the health of patients. They successfully apply all available medical and technical resources, as well as their professionalism to achieve the best treatment results. The doctors of the department prefer an individual approach to each clinical case, and also maintain close cooperation with experts in related medical fields, such as radiation therapy, coloproctology, and so on.

The department includes a specialized Robotic Surgery Center, and therefore it has all the possibilities for conducting sparing laparoscopic operations. Robot-assisted interventions using the da Vinci Surgical System give excellent results in the treatment of prostate cancer, kidney tumors, including large ones, renal pelvis outflow stenosis and other urological pathologies. Kidney stones can also be removed using minimally invasive techniques. Although the operation is performed using a robotic system, the entire process is carefully controlled by the surgeon, who is sitting at a special console of the device during the operation. It is the doctor who gives the commands to the robotic surgeon, who performs all surgical procedures with the help of his special "slave manipulators". The operation requires only a few small skin incisions, which the robot performs with pinpoint precision. One of the "slave manipulators" of the da Vinci Surgical System holds a camera that transmits high-resolution 3D images with multiple zoom to a large screen. Thus, the surgeon can clearly see the operating field, including the smallest tissues and vessels, which helps to exclude damage to functionally important anatomical structures. For example, when performing prostatectomy, a high-quality image of the operating field avoids damage to the neurovascular bundles of the prostate gland, due to which the man retains sexual function, which is much more difficult to achieve with classical open surgery. The big advantage of robotic surgery is the absence of severe bleeding during the operation, as well as mild postoperative pain. Due to small skin incisions, the doctors also achieve an excellent cosmetic result. A hospitalization period after da Vinci robot-assisted surgery is minimal – just a few days.

The department also specializes in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. To treat this pathology, the doctors use a modern laser technology, namely the latest generation Vela XL thulium laser. It is worth noting that the department uses this technology to treat prostate adenoma of any size, which only a few medical centers in Germany can offer. During the operation, access is provided through the urethra. Thulium laser has excellent coagulation properties, which improves the view of the surgical field. Due to this, the patients retain the external sphincter muscle, which damage can cause urinary disorders. In addition, the shallow depth of laser penetration into the tissue in combination with the optimal operating wavelength avoids damage to the prostate nerves responsible for erection. After the operation, the doctor inserts a catheter through the urethra, with the help of which the bladder is washed for several days. The patient can leave the clinic as early as 2-4 days after the operation, but at first it will be necessary to visit a urologist for regular check-ups to avoid complications (bleeding, infections, etc.). The department's medical team demonstrates excellent results in prostate adenoma treatment using the thulium laser.

Thus, the department has at its disposal advanced technical equipment for effective, but at the same time sparing treatment of urological pathologies of varying severity. The department's doctors have a wealth of experience and deep expert knowledge, which allows them to guarantee each patient an individualized medical care that meets the highest standards of modern medicine.

The department's key clinical focuses include:

• Minimally invasive radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci Surgical System (if possible, with preservation of the function of nerve endings, erectile function)
• Minimally invasive kidney surgery and renal pelvis plastic surgery (classic laparoscopic surgery and interventions with the da Vinci robot)
• Transurethral (through the urethra) ablation of bladder tumors (using a mono- and bipolar catheter, laser en bloc resection)
• Cystectomy (total bladder removal) in women and men with the preservation of blood vessels and nerves, as well as all modern methods of urine diversion
• Surgical and drug treatment of testicular tumors (including surgical removal of metastases in the lymph nodes of the abdominal cavity)
• Laser therapy (holmium and thulium lasers) for benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Minimally invasive endoscopic removal of kidneys and ureteral stones (urethroscopy, percutaneous nephrolitholapaxy, laser stone fragmentation)
• Functional, medical and surgical treatment of urinary incontinence in women and men
• Implantation of adjustable sphincter systems (ATOMS®) or an artificial sphincter (AMS® 800)
• Urethral ligament implantation in women and men (for example, Advance®, Obtryx® systems)
• Complex pelvic floor reconstruction in the case of pelvic organ prolapse (in cooperation with gynecologists and coloproctology specialists)
• Penile prosthetics (AMS® 700)
• Penile curvature correction
• Treatment of urological diseases in children (for example, cryptorchidism, varicocele, enuresis, etc.)
• MR fusion biopsy of the prostate
• Chemotherapy and other types of systemic therapy for tumors of the urogenital system in men
• Other medical services