The Department of Adult and Pediatric General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Colorectal Surgery and Endocrine Surgery at the Hospital Oberberg Waldbrol offers the full range of surgical treatment in the areas of its specialization. The department's surgeons operate on patients with diseases of the stomach, esophagus, bowel, liver, gallbladder, biliary tract, and pancreas. Of particular interest to the doctors are the surgical interventions for the removal of gastrointestinal malignancies. The department's surgeons cooperate closely with specialists from the Cancer Center Oberberg, which allows them to carry out comprehensive treatment for cancer patients. The surgeons at the medical facility also perform hernia repair surgery and operations for colorectal diseases. Thyroid surgery using state-of-the-art intraoperative neuromonitoring systems is regularly performed here. Surgical interventions for young patients are performed on an outpatient basis. The department's specialists have vast experience in sparing minimally invasive surgery when the pathological focus is approached through several small skin and soft tissue incisions, which reduces surgical risks, significantly alleviates pain, and shortens the period of hospital stay. The department has 40 beds for the accommodation of patients. The department is headed by Dr. med. Stefanie Hild. She is an experienced surgeon and a true professional dedicated to her work.
The department's priority clinical focus is the surgical treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. The department is part of the Cancer Center Oberberg, where surgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists, radiologists, psycho-oncologists, and other experts work hand in hand. The close cooperation of physicians from related specialties allows for the provision of the most effective treatment for each patient. The department's team of surgeons regularly operates on patients with colon cancer. This type of cancer is considered the third most common cancer in the world and, unfortunately, the second leading cause of death from cancer. The success of colon cancer treatment largely depends on surgery, as it is often the first-line therapy. The department's surgeons always strive to perform the surgical resection of malignant colon tumors using a minimally invasive technique, with open surgery being performed in extremely complex clinical cases. In the early stages of the oncological process, the department's specialists remove only the tumor and adjacent structures, which allows the doctors to preserve the integrity and function of the organ. If surgery is performed at an advanced stage of colon cancer, doctors will remove a significant portion of the colon, after which a stoma may be required. Before and/or after surgery, the patient also receives conservative treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or symptomatic treatment. If, based on the results of comprehensive diagnostics of the patient, the department's specialists determine that the colon malignancy is unresectable, chemotherapy and irradiation come to the fore. These treatment methods aim to slow tumor growth and prevent the spread of atypical cells throughout the body.
An integral part of the department's daily clinical practice is the treatment of patients with inguinal, umbilical, and incisional hernias. A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or part of an organ from the abdominal cavity under the skin through a natural opening. In cases of inguinal hernia, internal organs come out of the abdominal cavity through the inguinal canal; in cases of umbilical hernia, internal organs protrude through the umbilical ring; and incisional hernias result from the protrusion of abdominal organs through a defect formed by postoperative scar divergence. The only effective treatment method is hernia repair surgery. The department's surgeons brilliantly repair hernias using mesh implants, which is the gold standard of modern hernia repair surgery worldwide. Surgical interventions are performed using laparoscopic techniques on an outpatient basis.
The department also represents the direction of hepatopancreatobiliary surgery. The specialists in this field operate on patients with pathologies of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract, and pancreas. The team of surgeons at the medical facility admits patients with liver tumors and liver metastases, gallbladder and bile duct neoplasms, gallstone disease, liver cysts, pancreatic tumors, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and cholecystitis. In most cases, the specialists use minimally invasive surgical techniques, so the risks of postoperative complications are minimal, the patient does not experience severe pain, and a good aesthetic result is ensured.
Colorectal interventions complement the department's surgical options. The department's operating rooms serve to perform surgical interventions for inflammatory perianal processes, anal fistulas, anal fissures, and hemorrhoids (Milligan-Morgan technique, Longo procedure, or linear stapled hemorrhoidectomy). In addition, colorectal surgeons successfully perform transanal resection of adenomas and polyps and transanal resection of the rectum (STARR procedure in cases of hemorrhoids with rectal prolapse). Priority is always given to minimally invasive surgical techniques.
In the field of endocrine surgery, the primary focus is on performing interventions on the thyroid gland. The department performs surgery for partial or total removal of the organ in patients with thyroid cancer, thyroid adenoma, diffuse toxic goiter, autoimmune thyroiditis, and thyroid nodules. A surgical approach is provided through a small skin incision, which ensures minimal traumatization of healthy tissues and a good cosmetic result. A binocular loupe and intraoperative neuromonitoring are used during thyroid surgery to eliminate recurrent laryngeal nerve lesions, which may lead to voice loss.
The department also offers the services of a team of pediatric surgeons. A key focus of pediatric surgery is on inguinal hernia repair, operations for undescended testicles, and phimosis surgery. Children undergo surgery on an outpatient basis, so there is no need for a mandatory hospital stay. Surgeons always give preference to minimally invasive techniques.
The department's range of medical services includes:
Dr. med. Stefanie Hild graduated from the University of Bonn and the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, where she received her doctoral degree. Dr. Hild underwent her medical training in Waldbrol. She was an Assistant Physician and Senior Physician in the Departments of Surgery at the Helios Clinic Titisee-Neustadt, the DRK Altenkirchen-Hachenburg Hospital, and the St. Johannes Hospital Troisdorf-Sieglar. Before holding the position of Head Physician of the Department of Adult and Pediatric General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Colorectal Surgery and Endocrine Surgery at the Hospital Oberberg Waldbrol, Dr. Hild worked as the Head Physician in the Department of Surgery at the Elbe-Elster Hospital in the town of Finsterwalde in Brandenburg.
Photo of the doctor: (c) Klinikum Oberberg GmbH
