Pneumology
At the Thoraxzentrum’s Clinics for Pulmonology and Infectiology, we annually treat approximately 6,000 patients with lung diseases at our Herne and Bochum locations.
We are certified
- by the German Cancer Society (DKG) as a “Lung Cancer Center”
- by the German Society for Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP) as a “Weaning Center”
- by the German Society for Infectiology (DGI) as a “Center for Clinical Infectiology”
Additionally, we are accredited
- by the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGS) as a “Center for Sleep Medicine”
Our Focus Areas:
Obstructive Lung Diseases
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the most common internal medicine conditions. It is not merely a disease confined to the lungs but affects many other organs and functions.
Against this background, we offer multidimensional diagnostics and therapy that allow us to comprehensively address this disease in all its complexity.
Patients with severe pulmonary emphysema are presented at an interdisciplinary conference to evaluate options for lung volume reduction (bronchoscopic and surgical). We utilize all currently established procedures.
Another obstructive lung disease is bronchial asthma. Particularly severe cases are treated as inpatients in our clinic and evaluated for modern therapeutic options.
Pulmonary Oncology
Our treatment concept is fundamentally interdisciplinary to ensure optimal treatment quality.
The development of a treatment plan for lung cancer patients takes place in the “Thorax Conference.” Representatives from all relevant disciplines who can contribute to the treatment participate in this conference, including specialists in pulmonology, thoracic surgery, oncology, radiation therapy, radiology, pathology, and psycho-oncology.
Modern therapies (immuno- and antibody therapies) are increasingly established in lung cancer treatment. In addition to chemotherapy, we routinely offer all approved therapeutic procedures and the necessary molecular tumor diagnostics.
Respiratory Medicine
We specialize in the treatment of patients with acute or chronic respiratory muscle failure due to severe lung diseases, using non-invasive ventilation (NIV), also known as mask ventilation. For this purpose, the clinic has beds available in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) and the interdisciplinary intensive care unit. In cases where non-invasive ventilation is insufficient, intubation and/or tracheotomy (tracheal incision) and invasive ventilation are performed. All essential intensive care procedures, including methods for mechanical blood purification from carbon dioxide or oxygen supply (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, e.g., via ILA active), are available in cooperation with our in-house anesthesiology department.
Another focus is the weaning of patients from invasive ventilation (i.e., ventilation via tube or tracheostomy). We have been repeatedly certified as a Weaning Center by the German Society for Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine. On our “Respiratory Intensive Care Unit” (RICU) with 9 beds, an interdisciplinary team of experienced physicians and nurses, specialized respiratory, physical, and occupational therapists, as well as staff from speech therapy, psychology, nutritional counseling, and social counseling, treats severely ill and ventilated patients. The goal is to regain independence and breathing without machine support for patients who have been treated in an intensive care unit for weeks or months.
Sleep Medicine
We offer the entire spectrum of diagnostics and therapy for sleep-related breathing disorders (most commonly and famously, “sleep apnea syndrome”).
Infectiology
Infectiology represents an independent focus area of our clinic.
We possess extensive expertise in the field of pulmonary infectiology, which includes the treatment of acute bronchitis, exacerbations of COPD and bronchiectasis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis. Other infectious diseases such as endocarditis, catheter-associated infections, unexplained fever, and infections of other organs are regularly treated or managed consultatively in other specialized departments.
Furthermore, “Antibiotic Stewardship” (ABS) is under our leadership, providing continuous guidance and consultation to all clinics within the Ev. Krankenhausgemeinschaft regarding the antibiotic therapy of infectious diseases. We thus contribute to consistently high quality in anti-infective therapy.
We also consider infection prevention one of our main tasks and collaborate with the Hygiene Commission on concepts for preventing nosocomial transmissions.
Moreover, there is close cooperation with the National Reference Center for Gram-Negative Hospital Pathogens at Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the IML Microbiology in Bochum.
Finally, infectiology also constitutes our scientific focus.
Interstitial Lung Diseases
Interstitial lung diseases (i.e., diseases of the lung parenchyma) represent an extremely complex group of conditions. Accordingly, relevant cases are presented in an interdisciplinary forum (the “ILD Forum”) to ensure diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. The forum includes pulmonologists, radiologists, pathologists, and rheumatologists.
Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension is rare and has a multitude of possible causes. Therefore, specialized diagnostics and therapy are required.
We have a right heart catheterization laboratory and perform – when indicated – test breathing to define the optimal therapy.
Bronchoscopy
The particular focus of our specialized department within the Thoraxzentrum Ruhrgebiet is flexible bronchoscopy. As one of the first clinics in Germany to specialize in this service, we now function as a reference center for bronchoscopy. Furthermore, we have health insurance approval for outpatient bronchoscopy and can thus support our colleagues in the outpatient clarification of bronchial or pulmonary processes to avoid unnecessary duplicate examinations.
In certain indications, bronchoscopy is also performed using rigid technique, where the patient is under general anesthesia and more complex interventions can be carried out. All common interventional techniques (APC, cryotherapy and -biopsy, laser, stenting, valve implantation, etc.) are offered.
General Internal Medicine
Patients with lung diseases often also suffer from other internal medical conditions, particularly heart conditions. Additionally, the care of all patients admitted via the emergency room falls under our clinic. We therefore treat a broad spectrum of internal medical diseases and offer numerous diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. There is cooperation with other internal medicine departments in our hospital.
https://thoraxzentrum-ruhrgebiet.de/pneumologie/fachbereich-pneumologie/behandlungsspektrum/
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