Obesity in Germany – treatment in the Best Hospitals
Here you will find most technologically advanced obesity hospitals in Germany
Focus of treatment:
Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Surgery and Bariatric Surgery
The Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Surgery and Bariatric Surgery offers a full range of surgical treatments for diseases of the intestine, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, rectum, anus, thyro
Department of General, Abdominal, Vascular Surgery and Traumatology
The Department of General, Abdominal, Vascular Surgery and Traumatology offers the full range of surgical options in these fields. The specialization includes both minor outpatient interventions and complex operations. Of particular interest is surgery of the gastrointestinal tract, abdominal cavity and endocrine glands in case
Department of General, Abdominal and Minimally Invasive Surgery
The Department of General, Abdominal and Minimally Invasive Surgery offers the full range of services in these medical fields. The department specializes in the surgical treatment of abdominal organs: esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, thyroid gland. Here are used only pro
Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Endocrine Surgery, Hernia Surgery and Bariatric Surgery
The Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Endocrine Surgery, Hernia Surgery and Bariatric Surgery offers the full range of surgical treatment of diseases of the stomach, bowel, esophagus, liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, thyroid gland and all types of hernias. The department
Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Colorectal, Endocrine and Vascular Surgery
The Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Colorectal, Endocrine and Vascular Surgery provides the full range of medical services in the areas of its specialization. A highly qualified team of the department's surgeons performs various operations for gastrointestinal diseases, hernias, pathologies of th
Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Bariatric Surgery and Colorectal Surgery
The Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Bariatric Surgery and Colorectal Surgery provides the full range of services in the areas of its specialization. The key focus of the department's clinical practice is performing surgical procedures for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The department per
Department of Bariatric Surgery
The Department of Bariatric Surgery offers the comprehensive treatment for morbid obesity. It annually treats about 1,000 patients suffering from overweight and its complications. Each patient is provided with an individual approach. As a rule, the therapeutic program includes a complete lifestyle modification and specialized su
Department of Obesity Treatment and Bariatric Surgery
The Department of Obesity Treatment and Bariatric Surgery offers the full range of services in the area of its specialization. The department's medical team can boast long experience, and also has at its disposal advanced obesity treatment methods. Upon admission to the department, the patient undergoes a comprehensive diagn
Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Surgery and Bariatric Surgery
The Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Surgery and Bariatric Surgery specializes in performing a wide range of surgical interventions in the fields of its competence. The department operates on patients with diseases of the stomach, bowel,
Obesity treatment usually begins with a diet, physical exercise, and lifestyle changes. If this does not help, endocrinologists in Germany select drug therapy. For some patients, this option does not work either. In this case, the healthcare professionals proceed to the surgical treatment. This therapeutic option is indicated for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 40 and a BMI of more than 35 if obesity-associated diseases (diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases) have developed. You can opt for Germany to undergo minimally invasive procedures and surgical interventions for obesity treatment. The hospitals in this country perform sparing surgical interventions, after which patients get rid of their overweight.
Content
Conservative treatment includes a diet, physical activities, and the intake of drugs. To treat severe forms of obesity in Germany, doctors perform an intragastric balloon placement, an endoscopic gastroplication, a sleeve gastroplasty, and a gastric bypass surgery. Other operations are used much less frequently.
You can undergo your treatment in one of the following hospitals: Academic Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe, HELIOS Clinic Krefeld, or Hospital St. Elisabeth Grevenbroich.
You do not have to solve any organizational issues because the Booking Health company will fully organize your trip. The company's specialists will help you choose a clinic and a treatment method, make an appointment for the most suitable dates, buy airline tickets and book accommodation, help you to apply for a visa, translate the necessary documents into German and provide medical insurance. An interpreter at the hospital will accompany you, and your personal coordinator will constantly be in touch with you via messengers.
Endoscopic treatment
Intragastric balloon placement is the primary endoscopic treatment method for obesity in Germany. It is attractive to many patients because it does not require any surgery. This is an entirely reversible procedure: a balloon is placed inside the stomach and inflated, thereby reducing the stomach volume. A person loses weight within a few months, and the balloon is then removed.
The method offers the following advantages:
- a non-surgical weight loss procedure;
- a person loses 15-20% of the body weight within 1 year (although the balloon is removed after six months, weight loss continues due to the changes in the patient's eating habits);
- the procedure is completely reversible as the balloon can be removed at any time.
Disadvantages of the method compared to bariatric surgery are as follows:
- one in six patients develops side effects that require removal of the balloon, so the therapeutic effect is not achieved;
- the effect is weaker than after the operation;
- there is a risk of weight gain after the balloon removal (if the person returns to overeating).
Endoscopic gastroplication is another endoscopic treatment option that is more effective and has a lower risk of complications. Doctors suture the stomach from the inside, thereby reducing its volume. The intervention is performed through the oral cavity and does not require skin incisions.
The method has the following advantages:
- there is no need for hospitalization;
- the risk of severe complications is less than 2%;
- this is a reversible procedure (sutures can be removed in the future if the patient so desires).
Surgical treatment
The most common surgical interventions for obesity treatment are:
- sleeve gastroplasty;
- gastric bypass surgery.
In the vast majority of cases, obesity surgery in Germany involves performing operations using a laparoscopic technique, that is, through short abdominal incisions, which reduces the trauma rate, accelerates rehabilitation, and provides a better aesthetic outcome.
Sleeve gastroplasty is an operation to suture the stomach, which turns it into a thin sleeve. The stomach volume decreases, and the person cannot eat as much as before. The calorie content of the diet is reduced, which leads to the loss of excess weight – up to 60% in 2 years. An additional effect is provided by isolating the part of the stomach that produces ghrelin.
This is a sparing operation, which does not cause the development of gallstones and vitamin deficiency. However, it has a drawback: every third patient develops gastroesophageal reflux disease (constant heartburn due to the acid reflux into the esophagus). Doctors in Germany solve this problem with a simultaneous antireflux surgery.
Gastric bypass surgery is the most effective obesity treatment and provides the fastest rate of weight loss. At the same time, it is more traumatic and disrupts digestion. When operating, doctors remove a part of the stomach and create a new path for the food bolus to move around the duodenum. As a result, a minimum of enzymes enters the food; it is poorly digested, so a person receives a minimum of calories. This operation results in the loss of three-quarters of excess weight within just a year and cures type 2 diabetes mellitus in most patients. Along with the part of the stomach, it is often necessary to remove the gallbladder since stones are likely to form in it.
In Germany, the operation is performed as a mini-gastric bypass procedure. It is less traumatic, safer, and provides a comparable therapeutic result.
Features of childhood obesity treatment
Clinics in Germany deal with the treatment of obesity not only in adults but also in children. In most cases, the preference is given to conservative treatment methods. The specialists use diet, lifestyle modification, psychotherapy, and physical training. Children undergo diagnostics to determine a possible hormonal cause of weight gain.
Surgery in the treatment of childhood obesity can be used no earlier than 12 months of unsuccessful attempts of conservative therapy and only after the closure of growth zones. In the most severe cases, surgical interventions are resorted to when the weight increases and the child develops diabetes mellitus.
To undergo obesity treatment in Germany, please make your appointment at the hospital through the Booking Health service. We will select for you the best specialized center, which performs advanced, safe, minimally traumatic operations and procedures. You can see the prices on the Booking Health website, compare them in different hospitals, and make your treatment appointment at the best price.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
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