PULMONOLOGY IN GERMANY
The pulmonology clinics and departments that msp group germany works with offer the full range of the latest advances in modern medicine to patients with the following conditions:
Patients at German pulmonology clinics have access to everything they need — the most advanced yet gentle methods of diagnosing and treating lung diseases, innovative technical equipment and modern long-term drug therapy programmes, for example in the treatment of tuberculosis.
The diagnostic capabilities of pulmonology departments and clinics cover all the common methods, for example pulmonary function testing, exercise testing and right heart catheterisation. In the search for the cause of a disease, ultrasound and endoscopic examinations are used alongside radiological imaging.
German pulmonology clinics offer a wide range of spirometric, instrumental (including bronchoscopy), radiological (digital X-ray, CT and MRI) and laboratory investigations for diagnosing lung diseases. All the clinics recommended by msp group germany have their own clinical diagnostic laboratories and pathology institutes, which makes it possible to carry out tests quickly and obtain accurate results.
Treatment in pulmonology clinics follows European protocols and includes modern drug and non-drug therapies (including physiotherapy). An interdisciplinary approach within multidisciplinary medical centres makes effective treatment possible even in the most complex cases. Where necessary, an allergist is involved in deciding on the patient's management strategy.
In Germany, a wide range of non-surgical approaches is used to treat diseases of the lungs, airways, chest wall and diaphragm: conservative treatment such as physiotherapy for bronchiectasis, oxygen therapy, pain relief and complex procedures, hyposensitisation, mechanical ventilation and more. Surgery in pulmonology is used only where other methods prove ineffective.
Pulmonology clinics and departments also provide preoperative and postoperative care before and after lung transplantation. Lung transplants are carried out in interdisciplinary cooperation with thoracic surgery departments and transplant centres.
Pulmonology clinics also specialise in mechanical ventilation (including at home), rehabilitation after mechanical ventilation and specialised oxygen therapy. The specialists aim to wean patients back to spontaneous breathing, to treat those who have spent a long time on mechanical ventilation, and to care for those who need longer and more complex rehabilitation after invasive ventilation.
Invasive treatment methods include, for example, the implantation of valves or special coils in the airways. Valves block access to part of the lung, thereby reducing the volume of the lung lobe and redirecting air through the implanted valve. The effectiveness of valve implantation depends on the anatomy of the lungs, and the procedure is not suitable for every patient.
A breakthrough in the treatment of pulmonary emphysema has been the unique treatment technology using the so-called RePneu coils developed by PneumRX. RePneu coils restore the natural elasticity of the lungs while keeping the small airways open. Breathing becomes easier and the patient feels better.
RePneu coils are made from nitinol, a modern material widely used to create shape-memory devices such as cardiac stents or bone fixation implants. When inserted into the airways the coils straighten out and then regain their shape at the implantation site. The RePneu coil implantation procedure can be performed under general anaesthesia or sedation.
Pulmonology clinics offer
- treatment of lung cancer (bronchogenic cancer, bronchogenic carcinoma);
- diagnosis and staging of lung cancer;
- treatment planning (in cooperation with the thoracic surgery department and the oncology department);
- outpatient and inpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy (in cooperation with the radiotherapy clinic);
- treatment of airway stenosis, recanalisation (laser, argon plasma coagulation), stenting;
- treatment of bronchial asthma;
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema;
- long-term oxygen therapy; non-invasive ventilation (NIV);
- treatment of inflammatory lung diseases;
- treatment of pneumonia, atypical pneumonia during immunosuppressive therapy and in HIV infection, pleurisy;
- treatment of tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections;
- preparation for lung transplantation and follow-up care;
- treatment of interstitial lung diseases, pulmonary fibrosis and cystic fibrosis;
- treatment of sleep apnoea syndrome;
- treatment of pulmonary embolism; pneumothorax;
- treatment of pulmonary hypertension;
- treatment of foreign body aspiration, pulmonary haemorrhage and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).