Department of Adult and Pediatric Dermatology, Phlebology - Specialized Clinic Hornheide

About the Department of Adult and Pediatric Dermatology, Phlebology at Specialized Clinic Hornheide

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Dermatology, Phlebology at the Specialized Clinic Hornheide offers the full range of high-precision diagnostic tests and therapeutic methods for treating skin diseases. Medical care is provided to patients of various age groups, including children. The priority focus of ​​the department's specialization is melanoma therapy. More than 1,000 patients with melanoma are treated here every year. The department is one of the largest and leading medical facilities specializing in melanoma treatment in Europe. The department has advanced diagnostic methods that allow doctors to detect skin pathology at an early stage, as well as the most effective treatment methods. In addition to the therapeutic result, due attention is also paid to an aesthetic aspect, which contributes to the maximum patient satisfaction and the absence of possible complexes associated with the consequences of treatment. The tasks of the department's doctors also include the treatment of vein diseases, with a particular interest in varicose veins and leg ulcer treatment. The department's specialists have excellent professional skills and modern technical resources to provide patients with effective medical care at the European level. The department is headed by PD Dr. med. Hans-Joachim Schulze.

For more than 85 years, the main focus of the department's work has been the treatment of malignant skin tumors. Key attention is paid to treating melanoma, one of the most aggressive types of cancer. The department is recognized as a specialized medical facility in this area by the German Cancer Society, the European Association of Dermato-Oncology, and the German Dermatological Society. From the first day of the department's work, dermatologists, specialists in dermatosurgery, plastic surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, oncologists, anesthesiologists, dermatohistopathologists, and psycho-oncologists have been working here hand in hand. Thus, each patient is provided with comprehensive and interdisciplinary treatment, taking into account the smallest details. The specialization of doctors covers not only melanoma treatment but also the treatment of other malignant skin tumors, such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The department implements a skin cancer screening program that helps doctors to detect the disease at an early stage and provide patients with timely treatment. Histological diagnostics of skin cancer and other skin diseases are carried out within the in-house Dermatology Laboratory. The department's physicians also perform enzyme-based cytological and immunohistological tests, for example, to examine the sentinel lymph nodes, which play a decisive role in the selection of the type of therapy: chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, anti-tumor vaccination, and treatment with monoclonal antibodies.

The specialists of the medical facility also admit patients with various benign skin diseases, such as psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, acne, systemic scleroderma, lupus erythematosus, and allergic manifestations on the skin. The above mentioned pathologies are treated with effective drug therapy regimens (intake of pills, ointments, and gels), photodynamic therapy, phototherapy, cryotherapy, laser therapy, and other procedures. Preventive measures and patient counseling are also of great importance.

The department also offers pediatric dermatology. Doctors provide the effective treatment of atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, acne, fungal infections, allergic skin lesions, and skin cancers in children. The main treatment methods are usually various pills and ointments. Doctors also often resort to laser procedures. Surgery is usually required to remove malignant tumors.

The range of the department's medical services is supplemented by the diagnostics and treatment of venous diseases. Of particular interest is the care for patients with varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and leg ulcers. The pathological lesions of the lymphatic vessels and blood flow disorders in the arteries with symptomatic manifestations on the skin are also treated. The therapeutic options range from conservative treatment methods and the application of special dressings to surgical treatment. The very latest painless ultrasound methods are used to make an accurate diagnosis. In the case of varicose veins, both classical and innovative microwave sclerotherapy are performed. Advanced laser technology is used to remove varicose veins.

The department's range of diagnostic and therapeutic services includes:

• Diagnostics
  • Laboratory tests
  • Dermatoscopy
  • Biopsy and histological examinations
  • Ultrasound skin examinations
  • 3D microscopy
  • Duplex sonography and dopplerography
• Treatment
  • Drug therapy
  • Photodynamic therapy
  • Phototherapy (irradiation with narrow-band isodose UVB, UVA plus UVB or UVA1 cold light)
  • Cryotherapy
  • Laser therapy (vascular neoplasm removal, pigmentation disorders, keloid scars, tattoo and hair removal)
  • Radiation therapy
  • Surgical interventions for skin neoplasms, varicose veins and other pathologies (on an outpatient and inpatient basis)
  • Plastic reconstructive surgery after skin tumor removal
• Other diagnostic and therapeutic options