The professional as well as human competence of the doctors and medical staff is noteworthy. I would like to thank the staff for the loving care during my stay in the clinic.
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- Clinics
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- Münster University Hospital (UKM)
Münster University Hospital (UKM)
Germany, Münster
Clinic Review
Münster University Hospital is a multidisciplinary medical centre. It employs 1,800 doctors, including 106 professors, 2,000 nurses and orderlies and more than 2,000 technical specialists. Every year, 500,000 patients are admitted on an outpatient basis and 62,000 receive inpatient treatment.
Most of the departments are certified by European and international specialized organizations. For example, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is certified by the WHO and UNICEF, while the Department of Oncology is accredited by the German Cancer Society DKG.
According to the FOCUS magazine, the Münster University Hospital is one of the leading centres for bone marrow transplants and multiple sclerosis treatment in Germany.
The clinic also has the largest orthopaedic department in the country. It is known for its innovative prosthetic systems as well as for its treatment of bone and soft tissue tumours.
At Münster Hospital, there are highly sensitive CT scanners, which allow the patient to be examined in minutes. The University Hospital is also renowned for its specialists' ability to diagnose and treat rare diseases.
One of the priority areas of treatment in the Münster Clinic is stem cell transplantation, bone marrow and organ transplantation. Each year, doctors successfully perform more than one hundred kidney transplants, with one of the highest success rates in the country.
The principle of the Münster Clinic is to continuously improve existing knowledge and practical skills as well as to develop new diagnostic and treatment methods. For example, scientists are working on a method that will allow determining the future presence of prostate cancer without a biopsy.
Doctors of the clinic regularly participate in international exchange programs, congresses and training events. The spectrum of treatment at the Münster Clinic is holistic, including prevention, diagnosis, therapy, psychological care and follow-up.
Services of the hospital
Patients are placed in single and double rooms. For a comfortable stay, each room is equipped with an adjustable bed, TV set and wi-fi. Also, each patient is provided with all necessary accessories: terry towel and bathrobe, shower set, bed linen. During hospitalization, patients can choose a separate menu with dishes that are changed daily. Fresh fruit and many drinks are also available throughout the day. In the afternoon, patients and their attendants can enjoy cakes and coffee.
Features of the Clinic
Breast Center at the Münster Clinic
According to Focus magazine, the University Hospital of Münster (UKM) is one of the best breast cancer clinics in Germany. At the UKM Breast Center, specialists from different departments work closely together to ensure the right treatment for each case.
UKM doctors use sonography (ultrasound), mammography and an MRI machine to diagnose breast diseases. Also, patients have access to a modern minimally invasive method of diagnosis and removal of neoplasms — vacuum aspiration biopsy.
Previously, to remove tumours or cysts, the doctors had to prepare the patient for several days, use anaesthesia during the intervention and make fairly traumatic incisions. Thanks to the aspiration biopsy, the doctor removes the neoplasm (up to 2cm) without incisions and anaesthesia. The procedure lasts up to half an hour. A positive aspect of this method is a short rehabilitation period and complete elimination of the dissection of the milk ducts. This is especially important for patients who are planning pregnancy and breastfeeding.
UKM Clinic gives preference to organ-preserving surgery for breast cancer. In cases where the removal of the affected breast is unavoidable, the plastic surgeon can perform the reconstruction during the breast removal operation. Removal of the «sentinel lymph node» is also a standard procedure in the clinic.
UKM doctors also have experience in identifying cytokeratin-positive cells in the bone marrow, which allows them to detect micrometastases and prescribe appropriate treatment in time. Doctors at the Breast Center of the University Hospital Münster, together with the Department of Radiation Therapy, were among the first doctors in Germany to apply intraoperative irradiation to the tumour. This means that the irradiation of cancerous tissues occurs directly during surgery. This method reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence in the future.
The doctors of the clinic also pay close attention to breast recovery after the surgery. To restore the breast, doctors use both implants and the patient's fat tissue. Patients can use such modern methods of breast reconstruction as:
DIEP — breast reconstruction using abdominal tissues;
TMG— breast reconstruction using stomach tissue;
SGAP / IGAP— breast reconstruction with the use of hip tissue;
Latissimus dorsi — breast reconstruction using tissue from the back;
liposuction / lipofilling— extraction by gentle water-jet liposuction and reintroduction into the breast area;
nipple reconstruction/pigmentation.
Treatment of oncology at Münster University Hospital
The UKM Oncology Department treats patients with all types of oncology. The hospital has a modern radio-oncological care centre which offers the full range of radiation diagnostics and therapy. Also, there are three high-performance linear accelerators (TrueBeam) and a tomotherapy unit.
Depending on the disease, doctors prescribe outpatient or inpatient treatment. This may include surgery or radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
According to the FOCUS rating, the radiation therapy department and its head Hans T. Eich are among the best in Germany.
The Department of Radiation Therapy is constantly improving the classic radiation therapy methods and supplementing its arsenal with modern imaging devices. Patients in the Radiation Therapy Department have access to therapies such as:
Total body irradiation | It's the main method of treatment. For maximum efficiency, several drugs are used. Courses of chemotherapy are conducted before and after surgery. It is required to kill most of the tumour and metastases. The therapy is carried out in the form of injections or pills. It is considered successful if more than 90% of cancer cells have been destroyed. |
IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy) | A state-of-the-art radiation therapy procedure that provides highly accurate tumour irradiation and excellent protection for healthy tissue. Irradiation is controlled by CT, MRI and PET/CT and can reduce the time of exposure instead of the usual 60 minutes to 5 minutes (several sessions). |
Extracranial Stereotactic Radiation Therapy - ESRT | It is a form of high-dose precision radiation therapy. Indications for this are, for example, tumours or metastases in the lung or liver area. The therapy is performed between 1 and 1.5 weeks and is painless. |
Intracranial stereotactic radiotherapy - ISRT | An effective and gentle method of treating benign and malignant brain tumours. Münster Radiology Clinic has a specially developed linear accelerator for all precise exposures in the skull area. |
Brachytherapy | Temporary or permanent method of exposure using microsources that are implanted inside the body. This type of therapy is often used for gynaecological tumours and prostate cancer. |
Organ transplantation at Münster Clinic
Organ and stem cell transplantation is a top priority at the University Hospital Münster. The UKM Transplantation Center is one of the largest in Germany and one of the few European centres where all organs of the abdominal cavity are transplanted. These include the liver, kidneys, pancreas and small intestine.
An important part of transplantology is the continuous professional development of doctors and updating of equipment. Also crucial to the success of organ transplantation is the comprehensive care of the clinic patients before, during and after surgery. Münster University Hospital pays close attention to each stage.
Liver transplant | UKM is the first clinic in Germany where doctors use mechanical liver perfusion with oxygen-rich blood. Using this system gives doctors a unique opportunity to test the function of the donor organ before transplanting it to the recipient. In addition to providing the functionality of the donor organ, mechanical perfusion increases the safety of the transplant and reduces the risk of liver rejection. |
Kidney transplant | Two perfusion machines are available for kidney transplantation in the clinic. Their use allows doctors to overcome the critical period when oxygen and nutrients are not entering the organ. In the case of kidney donation, surgeons perform a minimally invasive operation. For this purpose, the endoscopic technique is used, after which the donor can leave the clinic in 2 days. |
Gastrointestinal transplantation | At the University Clinic of Münster, research and development of individual anatomical graft models are regularly carried out. Depending on the patient's disease, the transplant procedure may vary. Often, the patient needs a small intestine transplant or a small intestine transplant in combination with other abdominal organs such as the stomach, duodenum, pancreas, kidney, and liver. Simultaneous transplantation of part of the large intestine is standard at Münster Hospital. The procedure helps to improve the patient's quality of life and preserve kidney function. |
Pancreatic transplant | Pancreatic transplantation is associated with an increased risk of rejection. For this reason, the University Hospital Münster has developed a procedure that helps collect samples of pancreatic tissue during gastroscopy. With the samples, doctors identify the risk of rejection before organ transplantation. This allows for a more thorough selection of the donor. |
Robotic surgery Münster Unique Clinic
The Robotic Center for General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery was opened based on the Münster Uniklinik in 2018. In a short time, the department has become one of the leading robotic centres in Germany. Patient safety is a top priority for the centre. Therefore, in addition to the surgeon who has been trained to work on the Da Vinci console, a second experienced doctor is present during the operation and supervises the intervention process. The use of robotic technology reduces the risk of complications and the length of stay in hospital.
Department of Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Therapy
The department has a blood bank, immunohematology laboratory, transplantation immunology (HLA laboratory, platelets laboratory). It also has a blood bank:
the stem cell donor search centre;
a stem cell lab;
the production area for blood products;
quality control laboratory.
About 85 specialists work in the cell therapy department. A cell separator is installed here, which is available 24 hours a day for specialized therapeutic procedures. Also, the Cellular Therapy Centre provides training and cryopreservation of stem cell preparations (from bone marrow cells and peripheral blood).
It is also important that the team of doctors regularly participates in research projects of other departments (e.g., child and adult oncology, urology, neurology). The department is certified by the European Federation of Immunogenetics (EFI) and accredited by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (JACIE).
Cost of diagnosis and treatment at the University Hospital Munster
Procedure | Cost |
---|---|
Consultation with a specialist | from €500 |
Lab tests | from €350 |
Mammary gland ultrasound | from €350 |
MRI | from €1,000 |
PET-CT | from €1,500 |
Chemotherapy | from €2,500/1 session |
Radiation Therapy | from €6,000/1 course |
Procedure | Cost |
---|---|
Immunotherapy | from €6,000 |
Mastectomy | from €13,000 |
Knee arthroscopy | from €7,000 |
Shoulder replacement | from €11,000 |
Hip replacement | from €18,000 |
Knee replacement | from €19,000 |
Surgical tumour removal | from €20,000 |
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Doctors
The UKM is located on the city ring of Münster and can be quickly reached by car, bus or taxi. The closest airports to the clinic are in Greven and Dortmund. Close to the clinic you will find several coffee shops, bakeries, the Liedle supermarket, the Sentruper Höhe sports complex and the modern Mövenpick Hotel Münster. By public transport you can reach the centre of Münster, where many attractions such as the Pablo Picasso Museum or Munster Cathedral are within easy reach.