Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Phlebology (21)

About the department

The Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Phlebology at the Helios Hospital Hildesheim offers the full range of medical services in the areas of its specialization. The medical facility deals with both diagnostics and treatment of all diseases of the skin and its appendages – hair and nails. The treatment of malignant skin tumors is of particular interest. The department's dermatologists use the most modern conservative and surgical therapeutic techniques for skin cancer treatment. The department has the status of the Skin Cancer Center certified by the German Cancer Society, and therefore the quality of medical services in this area is at the highest level. The department's service range also includes aesthetic dermatological procedures. The therapeutic options of the medical facility are complemented by both diagnostics and treatment of dermatological manifestations of allergies and venous diseases. The work of the department's specialists is based on adherence to modern clinical protocols and the use of the very latest treatment methods available in dermatology. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Michael Tronnier.

The department has earned an excellent reputation in the treatment of malignant skin tumors and is certified as the specialized Skin Cancer Center of the German Cancer Society. The priority tasks of the department's dermatologists include early detection of skin cancer, treatment using the very latest conservative and surgical techniques, as well as follow-up monitoring of the patient upon the completion of treatment. The diagnostic process begins with a clinical examination, during which the doctor accurately assesses age spots, moles and other neoplasms on the skin using a dermatoscope. Whenever required, the specialist takes images of suspicious skin areas to assess the dynamics of changes in the future. If at the stage of clinical examination the doctor notices pathological changes characteristic of skin cancer, a dermatohistopathological examination is immediately conducted (the department has an in-house laboratory). Should the diagnosis be confirmed, the doctor will develop the most effective treatment strategy. The surgical resection of the tumor is usually the first-line treatment. There are two high-tech operating rooms available in the department for such operations. In most cases, the surgical procedure is performed under local anesthesia. If necessary, plastic surgeons can be involved in surgery to correct skin defects after tumor resection. The surgical treatment is complemented by chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and other conservative treatment methods (depending on the particular clinical case). In some cases, the tumor can be removed without surgery. Photodynamic therapy is used instead of surgery. After completing the basic course of treatment, the patient regularly undergoes follow-up examinations to exclude or early detect skin cancer recurrence.

Inflammatory skin diseases are also common in the clinical practice of the department's dermatologists. The therapy of neurodermatitis and psoriasis is of particular interest to the specialists. Prior to the treatment, the patient undergoes comprehensive diagnostics, including tissue sampling, blood tests, etc. To treat psoriasis, the doctors use ointments, drugs, and innovative forms of treatment: PUVA therapy, UVA1 phototherapy and UVB311 phototherapy. The same treatment methods are used for neurodermatitis. Obviously, the course of treatment and its duration are determined for each patient individually. As a rule, the treatment is outpatient.

The department's medical team provides qualified medical care to patients with diseases of the skin appendages (hair and nails). Alopecia areata is the most common hair disease. The pathology is treated using contact sensitizing therapy with diphenylcyclopropenone. Nail lesions usually occur due to infectious diseases. To treat nail fungus, doctors successfully use modern antifungal drugs, antibiotics and special medicinal nail varnishes.

An important focus of the department's doctors is on patients with skin allergies (for example, food allergies, drug allergies, pollen allergies). The department has a progressive laboratory for tests to detect a particular allergen (prick tests, epicutaneous and intracutaneous skin tests, provocation tests, etc.), after which specific desensitization is performed.

In the field of phlebology, the full range of venous diseases is diagnosed and treated. Varicose veins occupy a leading position among such pathologies. The department has the very latest ultrasound equipment for the comprehensive assessment of the condition of the veins and blood flow in the veins. Should pathological changes be detected, the patient will be prescribed the appropriate treatment. At the early stages, a venous disease can be eliminated using conservative methods (for example, compression therapy), while the advanced forms of venous diseases require more radical measures. The surgical treatment of venous diseases is carried out in close cooperation with the specialists from the Department of Vascular Surgery.

The department's range of medical services includes:

• Diagnostics and treatment of malignant and benign skin neoplasms
  • Conservative treatment methods
    • Photodynamic therapy
    • Cryosurgery
    • Treatment with ointments
    • Chemotherapy
    • Targeted and immunotherapy
    • Radiation therapy
    • Extracorporeal photopheresis
    • Psycho-oncological care
    • Supportive and palliative care
  • Surgical treatment methods
    • Mohs micrographic surgery
    • Local surgical resection of the tumor
    • Plastic reconstructive surgery
    • Sentinel lymph node removal
    • Superficial ablative procedures for precancerous conditions
• Diagnostics and treatment of inflammatory skin diseases (focus on the treatment of neurodermatitis and psoriasis)
  • Drug therapy
  • Treatment with ointments
  • PUVA therapy
  • UVA1 phototherapy 
  • UVB311 phototherapy 
• Diagnostics and treatment of hair and nail diseases
  • Drug therapy
• Diagnostics and treatment of skin allergies (food allergies, drug allergies, insect venom allergies, etc.)
  • Desensitization
• Diagnostics and treatment of venous diseases
  • Conservative therapy with drugs
  • Compression therapy
• Other medical services