Essen University Hospital

Essen University hospital is famous for its clinical research and development of new technologies and methods of treatment in transplantology, oncology, perinatal medicine, treatment of cardiovascular diseases and strokes.

Since 1909 the hospital has developed rapidly while receiving the status of a university in 1963. Since 2009, the oncology center of Essen is considered the largest center in Germany in the field of cancer treatment coordinating with the world's leading clinics.

The first in positron emission tomography (PET) center in Germany was invented here for the most accurate diagnosis of neoplasms . Also, the hospital has been accredited by JCI, which has accredited only 200 clinics around the world.

The key departments of the Essen clinic are:

• Department of B.M.T (considered the leading in Europe and the second in the world);
• Department of General and Organ Transplant Surgery (regularly practice - heart, kidney, pancreas, liver and lung transplantation, one liver transplant to two patients and combined organ transplants);
• Department of Oncology (the most popular in Germany and Europe in the diagnosis and treatment of the most complex forms of malignant neoplasms) In addition to traditional chemo-therapy, accurately Target medications, monoclonal antibodies, substances that suppress the growth of tumors are actively used in practice);
• Cardiology department (it deals with diagnostics and treatment of all forms and any complexity of cardiovascular diseases.The newest technologies contribute to the accurate diagnosis of circulatory disorders, ultrasound, cardiac catheterization, special attention is paid to the treatment of wounds in chronic venous insufficiency and diabetic foot, stenting and vascular prosthesis operations) ;
• Hematology department (deals with hematological oncology, blood clotting disorder, creates unique methods for treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, uses high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation, treats acute and chronic leukemias, lymphomas, myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative syndrome, multiple myeloma, anemia, immunological diseases, thrombocytopenia) ;
• Department of hepatology and gastroenterology (treat pancreas diseases, functional diseases and chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, acute and chronic liver diseases, gastroenterological oncology);
• Department of Neurosurgery (performs surgical interventions on the central and peripheral nervous system, malignant and benign brain tumors, head, spine, spinal cord.) In the department of pediatric neurosurgery they are engaged in developmental malformations and diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system);
• Department of Neurology (diagnosis and treatment of stroke, headaches,migraines, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ataxia, cerebellar disease, Parkinson's disease, dystonia and polyneuropathy of various origins);
• Department of Urology (accepts patients of all age groups, specializes in urological oncology and pediatric urology.) Special surgical procedures include brachytherapy with prostate cancer and urinary incontinence surgery;
• Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive care Medicine (over 26,000 narcosis are performed by Anesthesiologists and help patients 24 hours a day,equipped with all necessary equipment, including the "artificial lung" system for acute respiratory failure);
• Department of nephrology (diagnosis and therapy of all kidney diseases, arterial hypertension, autoimmune diseases, kidney transplant, all types of hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, treatment of vasculitis, congenital malformations of the kidneys and urinary tract);
• Department of obstetrics and gynecology (specializes in breast cancer, laparoscopic operations in severe forms of myomas, endometriosis, cancer of internal genital organs, incontinence in women, are engaged in oncology of external genitalia, pregnancy with severe toxicosis, pregnancy with immunological problems, multiple pregnancies);
• Department of Traumatology (Deals with the treatment of fractures and injuries of bones and joints, benign and malignant neoplasms of the musculoskeletal system, hand surgery, treatment of victims of catastrophes with fresh injuries, patients in shock, with sepsis, other complications.

Advantages of the Essen University Hospital in facts:

In the department of general, visceral and transplant surgery, 143 liver transplants (14% donor liver transplants), 140 kidney transplants, 340 GIT operations are performed annually.

In the Department of Dermatology, more than 3,000 patients with skin cancer are diagnosed each year, about 320 patients with organ transplant rejection are taken, 894 patients are treated with photopheresis (a procedure for treating blood cells).

All programs of diagnosis and treatment are made accordingly with each individual case, strictly individually. Each patient has the opportunity to consult with all necessary specialists.

The clinic has more than 350 clinical trials, to which patients have access. The number of tests is constantly growing.

Cancer treatment in Essen Hospital

At the regional and national level, the institution cooperates with the number of private and public institutions and doctors practicing in the field of oncological diseases. It is important to note that the hospital also cooperates with one of the leading oncological centers - the West German Center for Proton Therapy WPE.

Here, all types of nuclear-diagnostic studies are practiced, diagnoses of the thyroid gland diseases and neuroendocrine neoplasms. They develop unique radiopharmaceuticals for PET, carry out thyroid radioiodine therapy, radionuclide therapy for metastatic pain, radio immune lymphoma therapy, intrapleural or intraperitoneal therapy for lesions of serous membranes, intra arterial treatment of liver oncology.

Department for the anterior chamber diseases of the eye in Essen Hospital

The hospital has a department for the anterior chamber diseases of the eye, which specializes in glaucoma, cataracts performs surgical interventions on the muscles of the eyeball, eyelids, eye tumors, cornea, corneal transplantation, inflammation and eye burns.

Also there is a department of the posterior chamber diseases of the eye. Specializes in the pathology of the retina and vitreous body, retinoblastoma, perform interventions on the retina, vitreous humor and the vessels of the eye. The department is officially considered to be the largest in Germany and one of the largest in the world in terms of volume of operations on different processes in the eyes.

Pediatric Department for childhood diseases No. 1 nurses over 700 prematurely newborns annually, including newborns weighing up to a thousand grams. This department deals with intensive therapy of seriously ill babies and teenagers, practices innovative artificial respiration technologies, nurses children after a liver or kidney transplant.

Pediatric Department for childhood diseases No. 2 treat congenital and acquired kidney diseases, gastrointestinal tract, endocrinology, prepare for transplantation and conduct post-operative care. The largest hemodialysis center for children in West Germany is here.

Pediatric Department for childhood diseases No. 3 specializes in hematology and oncology, pulmonology, cardiology in infants and adolescents. They treat malignant diseases of blood and internal organs, conduct chemotherapy, transplant bone marrow cells, blood replacement therapy, thermal therapy.

It is important to note that the Essen Clinic specializes in the transplantation of homoepoietic stem cells (allogeneic stem cell transplantation from a related and unrelated donor, tissue-compatible with the patient through the HLA system of donors) in formations.

Special attention should be paid to the STC Cancer Center. Oncosurgery here is at the highest level. High doses of chemotherapy and target irradiation of tumors are performed, new approaches are used in the treatment of hormone-dependent tumors and in the palliative therapy of cancer patients. The center also cooperates with the WPE Proton Therapy Center.

The latest techniques, using molecular visualization, enable to determine precancerous conditions in adults and children even before the tumor and its metastases are formed.

The University Hospital Essen is equipped with highly innovative equipment:

• Positron emission tomography;
• PET-CT;
• a gamma camera system for radionuclide diagnostics;
• cyclotron;
• linear accelerator;
• digital modern angiographic device for cardiovascular research;
• navigation system for microsurgery;
• X-ray equipment of different kinds;
• lithotriptor (modern apparatus for crushing stones of the bladder and removing their fragments);
• there is a laboratory for cardiac catheterization.