Medical Clinic II - Gastroenterology Oncology Diabetology Infectology

Medical Clinic II is part of the General Internal Medicine Division and focuses on the diagnosis and therapy of diseases of the digestive organs (gastroenterology/hepatology), tumours (oncology), metabolic disorders (endocrinology/diabetology) and infectious diseases. The Department of Haematology and Internistic Oncology (lead physician: Dr. med. A. Bremer) is attached to the department.

Modern techniques are used in gastroenterology/hepatology to identify and treat diseases of the digestive organs. Specialised methods such as Doppler sonography and contrast-enhanced sonography are available for ultrasound investigations, which can be complemented where necessary with specific tissue biopsies under local anaesthetic. Minimally invasive investigations and surgical procedures can be performed in the gastro-intestinal tract and in the bronchial system with high-resolution endoscopy (video imaging of organs) using flexible instruments (removal of polyps and minor growths, dilation of narrowed vessels, removal of stones from the bile duct, insertion of probes and drains). These procedures are complemented by special technologies such as endosonography and endosonographic fine needle punctures, double balloon endoscopy of the small intestine and laser treatments. In addition to imaging procedures, essential functional investigations can also be performed, e.g. respiratory tests and acid measurements in the oesophagus.

There is close collaboration between Medical Clinic II and the Institute for Dieticians at the St. Franziskus Hospital. The activities of the dieticians and the training of students in the kitchen and on the wards contribute to the inclusion of nutritional medicine as a central component in the treatment of digestive and metabolic disorders. Nutritional advice on all issues is offered to in-patients and out-patients, preferably with the involvement of relatives. An experienced Metabolism Team consisting of physicians, dietary consultants and nutrition specialists focuses on the support of patients with glandular disorders, e.g. diabetes mellitus. Patients with diabetes are given intensive training at the bedside by two experienced diabetes advisers and, if necessary, in daily individual advice sessions. In terms of out-patient support and group training of patients with diabetes mellitus there has been close collaboration since 1 August 2002 with the Diabetological Practice of Dr. med. L. Rose/H. Pohlmeier, which is located on our hospital site.

Patients with infectious diseases (e.g. respiratory inflammations, inflammation of the liver, infectious diarrhoea and TB) are treated in a special ward that has been set up specifically for this purpose. Necessary isolation measures, e.g. for patients with TB, infectious diarrhoea or fever under immunosuppressive regimens, can be implemented immediately and made as tolerable as possible for the patients. All required procedures (stool/blood/liquor diagnostics, bronchoscopy) and medications (antibiotics, antimyotics and virostatics) are available at all times for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of severe infectious diseases. A further area of focus on this ward is the treatment of diabetic foot syndrome in cooperation with the Clinic for Vascular Surgery