Urological Check-Up (examination)

About the department

To date, the Department of Urology offers the full range of medical services. All this thanks to the chief physician of the department, Prof., Dr. med. Horst Schuldes, who expanded the range of services and medical capabilities of the department. Using modern techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of urologic diseases, Prof., Dr. med. Horst Schuldes has a colossal experience. The doctor has additional specializations in the following areas: drug treatment of tumor formations, andrology and urological surgery.

The DRK Altenkirchen-Hachenburg Hospital has invested heavily in modern equipment and equipment for the introduction of new minimally invasive endourologic methods that help minimize the need for surgical procedures. The hospital bought a new laser device for performing one of the most common urologic procedures, the so-called prostate enucleation. With this holmium laser, the enlarged prostate is carefully removed from the inside through the urethra. Thus, there is no need to make any incisions in the abdomen.

This laser is universal. For example, it can break and remove almost all urinary tract stones.

The range of medical services of the department includes:

• Tumor surgery in malignant tumors of the kidneys, ureter, bladder, prostate and testis
• Modern therapy for benign prostatic diseases (TURP, bipolar resection)
• Modern endoscopic diagnosis and bladder tumor surgery
• Diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction
• Urogynecological diseases in women with weak pelvic floor and urinary incontinence (DVT)
• Pelvic floor sonography - pvs
• Botox injections in the hyperactive bladder
• Pediatric urology (malformations, moisturizing, emptying the bladder)
• Minimally invasive interventions for urinary stone diseases by specular reflection of the ureter and fragmentation of lasers
• Alloplastic operations, for example, silicone implants
• Drug therapy for all urological tumors, analgesic and palliative treatment
• Shock wave processing of urinary stones (ESWL)
• Shock wave therapy for Induratio Penis Plastica (ESWT)
• Outpatient surgery
• Prevention of prostate cancer with transrectal 3D-dopplerography and high-resolution biopsy
• Other procedures

The range of medical services involving the use of laser therapy:

• Endoscopic minimally invasive laser therapy:
  • Ureter / bladder stones
  • Kidney stones in case of a special indication
• Endoscopic laser incision (cleavage of narrowness) in obstruction of the ureterocarillary segment
• Endoscopic laser urethrotomy (endoscopy-guided dilatation of the urethra with laser)
• Endoscopic laser therapy for superficial urinary tract tumors (with biopsy)
• Laser treatment of condyloma (warts) and other skin lesions on the external genitalia
• Laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)
• Other procedures

Laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)

Compared with conventional procedures (e.g., transurethral vaporization or an open surgery), the holmium laser enucleation has a number of advantages. In particular, the surgical risks (especially bleeding) can be significantly reduced, which leads to a shorter hospital stay. Basically, the size of the hyperplasia does not matter – this method allows the surgeon to remove even large adenomas without the need of an abdominal incision.

Apart from that, when using the Holmium laser, the enlarged parts of the prostate can be completely enucleated. During the incision, the emitted heat leads to the simultaneous closure of small and medium-sized vessels. As a result, this procedure does not lead to a large blood loss. The enucleated prostate parts are transferred to the bladder and subsequently broken and removed with the aid of a morcellator. Therefore, these tissues remain available for the histological examination. The Holmium laser is the only laser that can perform this type of surgery.

Since the patients quickly feel therapeutic success after the procedure, they do not feel any unpleasant sensations or pain. This type of procedure is especially sparing, and therefore it does not require a long hospital stay. In addition, this method is also suitable for patients who have to take anticoagulant drugs due to the main heart disease. 

The holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is regarded as a golden standard in the field of operative treatment of prostate in the XXI century because of the high level of safety and very good and long-lasting results. This procedure can be performed only in few medical centers in Germany and the department of urology at the DRK Altenkirchen-Hachenburg Hospital is proud to be one of the leading facilities in this field.

Photo of the doctor: (c) DRK gemeinnützige Krankenhausgesellschaft mbH Rheinland-Pfalz