Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology - University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

About the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology at University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich

The Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology at the University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich offers the full range of modern diagnostics and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, pathological lesions of the arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels, as well as various respiratory diseases. It is worth noting that the department's cardiologists carry out not only drug therapy for heart diseases, but also many interventional procedures, including TAVI, MitraClip, left atrial appendage closure in case of atrial fibrillation, balloon valvuloplasty and many others. The interventional therapeutic procedures for diseases of the heart, arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels are performed in specially equipped catheterization laboratories. Of particular interest in the field of pulmonology are bronchoscopy, endoscopic lung volume reduction and lung cancer treatment in collaboration with thoracic surgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists and other physicians. The department's specialists give preference to an individual approach to each patient. They use only modern and reliable treatment methods that guarantee an optimal result. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz.

The department has excellent diagnostic options for examining the cardiovascular system. The medical facility has diagnostic rooms with state-of-the-art devices for electrocardiography (ECG), including stress and long-term ECG, transthoracic echocardiography (3D, 4D), tissue Doppler echocardiography and speckle tracking echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography (3D, 4D), contrast-enhanced echocardiography. In cooperation with the Department of Nuclear Medicine, cardiac CT and MRI, myocardial scintigraphy and cardiac PET/MRI are performed. After comprehensive diagnostics, the attending physician determines the optimal course of treatment – it can be drug therapy, surgical interventions, or a combination of these techniques. To perform interventional procedures on the heart and coronary arteries, the department is equipped with three progressive cardiac catheterization laboratories. Cardiologists perform interventional procedures for acute coronary syndrome, chronic coronary artery occlusion, left atrial appendage defect, aortic and mitral valve defects, severe heart failure and other pathologies. This treatment is an excellent alternative to classical cardiac surgery, which often requires thoracotomy. The use of minimally invasive catheter-based techniques allows the doctors to perform the necessary therapeutic manipulations on the heart, heart valves and coronary arteries through arterial or venous vascular access, with minimal trauma to the healthy tissues. Cardiac catheterization procedures are performed under local anesthesia, which is also of great benefit to patients.

The department's therapeutic offer also includes the diagnostics and treatment of diseases of the arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels. Depending on the complexity of the clinical case, the treatment can take place both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The department's specialists most often admit patients with carotid artery stenosis, pelvic and lower limb artery stenosis, renal artery stenosis, acute deep vein thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, pulmonary embolism. The department's specialists successfully carry out balloon dilation, stent implantation, atherectomy, rotary endarterectomy, lithotripsy and other procedures.

Another important field of the department's ​​clinical activity is pulmonology. The doctors of this medical profile admit patients with diseases of the respiratory system, mediastinum, pleural cavity and diaphragm. Particular attention is paid to performing interventions to remove small neoplasms in the chest. In addition, the department's pulmonologists are highly professional in the treatment of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, pulmonary emphysema, interstitial lung diseases, pulmonary hypertension, allergic diseases and rare lung pathologies. The therapeutic spectrum includes drug therapy and various types of bronchoscopy, including laser treatment, stent implantation, and endoscopic lung volume reduction. The department also has an intensive care unit, where various types of non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation are performed.

The department specializes in the diagnostics and treatment of the following diseases:

• Cardiology
  • Heart failure
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Acute coronary syndrome
  • Aortic valve stenosis
  • Mitral insufficiency
  • Left atrial appendage defect
  • Heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias)
    • Atrial fibrillation
    • Focal atrial tachycardia
    • Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia
    • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
    • Ventricular extrasystoles
    • Ventricular tachycardia
• Angiology
  • Carotid artery stenosis
  • Pelvic and lower limb artery stenosis
  • Renal artery stenosis
  • Acute deep vein thrombosis
  • Chronic venous obstruction
  • Subclavian artery stenosis
  • Abdominal aortic stenosis
  • Chronic venous insufficiency
  • Pulmonary embolism
• Pulmonology
  • Lung cancer
  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
  • Pulmonary emphysema
  • Interstitial lung diseases
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Allergic lung diseases, including severe forms of bronchial asthma
  • Rare lung diseases
    • Bronchiectasis
    • Sarcoidosis
    • Autoimmune diseases affecting the lungs
• Other pathologies

The department's range of medical services includes:

• Therapeutic options for heart disease
  • Coronary artery balloon dilatation and stenting
  • Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for the treatment of aortic valve stenosis
  • MitraClip procedure for the treatment of mitral valve insufficiency
  • Left atrial appendage closure
  • Pacemaker and defibrillator implantation
  • Cardiac resynchronization therapy
  • Event recorder implantation
• Therapeutic options for diseases of the arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels
  • Balloon dilation, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)
  • Stent implantation
  • Removal of cholesterol plaques in the vessels (atherectomy)
  • Vascular dilation with drug-coated stents
  • Lysis therapy for acute venous thrombosis
  • Catheter-directed lysis for acute pulmonary embolism
  • Vein stenting for post-thrombotic syndrome
• Therapeutic options for respiratory diseases
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Stent implantation
  • Endoscopic lung volume reduction
  • Pleural interventions
  • Removal of small neoplasms in the lungs and other organs of the respiratory system
• Other medical services