Facilities 

Diagnostics
Women often recognize changes in the breast. Each, even the smallest change in the breast should be examined by a gynecologist. However, not every palpable change is malignant. It is often a question of benign nodular structures of connective tissue or cystic formations.

Diagnostics has leading importance. For this purpose, our clinic has various visualization methods of examination:

• Ultrasound examination of the breast with high resolution
• Digital mammography
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high resolution

If during the ultrasound examination an impairment is detected, which requires further specification, it is possible to perform the high-speed biopsy. For this, under local anesthesia, small samples from altered breast tissue are taken. Histological examination of tissue samples is performed at the Institute of Pathology of our Clinic, so the diagnostics can be established within 24 hours.

In addition, we offer the following services:

• Obtaining additional medical advice regarding diagnosis and treatment of breast diseases (ultrasound examination, consultation, surgery planning)
• Consultations for patients with diagnosed breast carcinoma, for example, as part of screening
• Counseling and drawing up conclusions before operations on the breast (e.g. breast reduction, congenital defects)

Treatment
Treatment depends on whether it is benign or malignant disease of the breast. You will receive detailed consultations, as well as participate in all stages of treatment.
The main direction of our Breast Cancer Clinic is in the treatment of breast cancer.

Treatment of breast cancer consists of several possible stages of treatment:

• Operation
• System therapy (for example, chemotherapy, therapy with antibodies)
• Radiation therapy

Operation

• Organ-saving operations and oncoplastic surgery of the mammary glands
• Resections corresponding to a specific type of tumor
• Diagnostics of sentinel lymph nodes (signaling lymph nodes), as well as sparing removal of lymph nodes
• Breast reconstruction immediately after removal of the breast with preservation of skin
• Secondary breast reconstruction after a short time after operation (at the end of treatment). Reconstruction can be performed by implantation (silicone prosthesis/tissue expanders/permanent tissue expanders) or using own tissues from the peritoneum or back (so-called flap plastics).

Types of systemic therapy
In the Clinical Hospital of Solingen, it is possible to perform chemotherapy, as well as other types of systemic therapy.

Radiation therapy
The medical practice of radiation therapy at the Clinical Hospital of Solingen is widely known.

Oncological board of doctors
The planning of treatment for our patients is performed within the framework of an interdisciplinary oncological board of doctors. During the board of doctors, specialists from different specialized fields take part in the treatment, explain the process of further medical and/or radiotherapy, after which a treatment plan is developed in accordance with the latest provisions of the recommendation character and taking into account the individual situation of the patient. We report the treatment plan in the course of an individual conversation, in which the spouse/partner or relatives can take part. All treatment activities can be conducted at the Clinical Hospital of Solingen.

Plastic operation
In addition to interventions in the field of cancer surgery, we also offer the following types of plastic surgery:

• Breast reduction surgery
• Breast augmentation surgery
• Breast lifting and correction

Accompanying events
At all stages of treatment of your disease you are accompanied by the following specialists:

• Psychologist (specialist in psycho-oncology)
• Nurse specializing in the field mammology
• Specialist in the field of physiotherapy
• Specialist in the field of analgesic therapy

Proposals for providing support
Thanks to many years of experience, our clinic has at its disposal a close network of cooperation with partners who will help you cope with your illness:

• Contacts with self-help groups
• Organization of reception of auxiliary materials
• Organization of final rehabilitation
• Providing contact information for social services

Day Clinic
To treat cancer, women need to undergo chemotherapy. Today, in most cases, this therapy is performed on an outpatient basis. For these purposes, the staff of our oncological clinic is at your disposal from Monday to Friday. Our employees care not only about planning, conducting and rechecking the success of the infusion treatment, but also help you cope with side effects, so that the chemotherapy period will be linked for you, if possible, with the least restrictions.
We offer you participation in the clinical chemotherapeutic studies. Our staff will be happy to provide you with information on this.
Senior doctor Martin Peters

Operational methods
Here you will find a description of our operating methods. If you have any questions about them, you can contact us.

Outpatient operations

• scraping of the uterus (curettment)
• diagnostic examination of the uterus using a gynecological speculum (hysteroscopy)
• diagnostic laparoscopy (laparoscopy)
• cone biopsy
• laser removal of condylomas
• diagnostics of infertility

Vaginal techniques

• vaginal hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
• plastics of the vagina
• sacrospinal fixation (according to Amreich-Richter)
• Minimally invasive operations
• diagnostic laparoscopy
• laparoscopic interventions on ovaries and fallopian tubes
• laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LASH)
• total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH)
• laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH)
• laparoscopic enucleating of myoma
• laparoscopic colposuspension (Burch)
• laparoscopic omentectomy
• laparoscopic pelvic and paraaortic lymphonodectomy

Abdominal operating methods (with laparotomy)

• enucleating of myoma
• abdominal hysterectomy
• colposacropexy
• Burch colposuspension, lateral recovery
• Total mesometrial resection (TMMP, radical sparing nerve hysterectomy)
• research laparotomy with tumor cytoreduction (interdisciplinary)
• pelvic and para-aortic lymphonodectomy

Gynecology 
In the gynecology department we treat patients with diseases of almost every branch of general gynecology and gynecologic oncology.
We offer all surgical procedures such as vaginal operations, open laparotomy and a broad range of minimally invasive techniques. The later provides optimal cosmetic results and moreover a fast recovery after the operation.
Head of department is Dr. Sebastian Hentsch (MD). As gynecologic oncologist he is very experienced in the treatment of gynecologic cancers surgically and medically as well. Dr. Hentsch is certified minimally invasive surgeon (MIC I) and has been trained at Leipzig School of Radical Pelvic Surgery.
All cases of our oncologic patients are frequently discussed in our interdisciplinary tumor board. The tumor board consists of specialists from every oncologic department, e.g. surgery, medical oncology, radiology, pathology and others.

Our Surgical procedures:

• Minimally-invasive
• Hysterectomy (total laparoscopic and supracervical)
• Laparoscopic operations of tubes and ovaries (cysts, tumors and others)
• Removal of uterine fibroids
• For pelvic floor dysfunction: laparoscopic colposacropexy, cervicosacropexy and uterosacropexy; lateral repair
• For female urinary incontinence: laparoscopic colposuspension (BURCH), TVT, TVT-O
• Systematic laparoscopic lymphadenectomy of the pelvis and the abdomen (for different female cancers)
• Sentinel lymphadenectomy for vulvar cancer

Vaginally

• Hysterectomy
• For pelvic floor dysfunction: colporrhaphy, sacrospinous fixation (AMREICH-RICHTER)

Open laparotomy

• Explorative and debulking procedures for ovarian cancer
• Radical, nerve-sparing hysterectomy for cervical cancer (TMMR – total mesometrial resection)
• Systematic laparoscopic lymphadenectomy of the pelvis and the abdomen (for different female cancers)

Outpatient procedures

• Hysteroscopy, curettage, biopsies, clinical examinations under anesthesia
• Endometrium ablation
• Pelviscopy for infertility
• Laparoscopic tubal ligation or tubectomy

Senology (head: Dr. Manuela Seifert, MD)
In our Senology department (officially certified Breast Cancer Center – Bergisches Brustzentrum) we treat all diseases of the breast including breast cancer. Modern breast cancer therapy very often requires the combination of different methods such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiatiotherapy. All modes can be offered at our center. All cases of our breast cancer patients are frequently discussed in our interdisciplinary tumor board. The tumor board consists of specialists from every oncologic department, e.g. surgery, medical oncology, radiology, pathology and others.

We offer: 

• Second opinion on diagnosis and therapy of diseases of the breast
• Counseling of patients with histologically proven breast cancer
• Genetic counseling and information on familial breast and ovarian cancer

Diagnostic techniques: 

• High resolution breast sonography (ultrasound)
• Digital mammography
• High resolution MRI

Breast Surgery: 

• Breast preserving surgery
• Onco-plastic surgery
• Sentinel-lymphadenectomy
• Early reconstructive surgery, skin-sparing mastectomy, nipple-sparing mastectomy
• Primary and secondary reconstruction of the breast (with or without breast implants), also microsurgically
• Breast reduction and enlargement