GKH relies on new technology: an innovative method for detecting gallbladder diseases:

The Herdecke Community Hospital has introduced a new and innovative surgical technique to significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder diseases. Using a dye that is safe for the patients, the bile ducts can be made visible during the procedure. Dr. med. Bernhard Lemper, Head of the Department of Surgery, explains: “This allows us to achieve maximum precision in the procedures, which provides our patients with greater safety and a faster recovery.”

The most common gallbladder disease is gallstones. It is estimated that between 5 and 25 percent of people in Germany suffer from gallstones. Surgery is not always necessary to remove them – often a change in diet or medication is sufficient. However, if surgery is necessary, modern medicine offers a variety of treatment options.

“In surgery, we work to the highest standards,” sums up Dr. Med. Rokhwa together. “This is our duty for the safety of patients,” emphasizes the chief physician. In cases of gallstone disease, the entire gallbladder is removed to reduce the risk of future disease. These procedures are performed laparoscopically, i.e. through very small incisions using the so-called “keyhole technique,” ​​using the latest 4K technology.

To further improve treatment, Herdecke Community Hospital recently began using intraoperative fluorescein angiography using indocyanine green (ICG). In this method, a dye that is safe for humans is injected into the body during the procedure. This stains the bile duct system and glows green under infrared light, making the bile ducts clearly visible. This allows surgeons to treat bile duct diseases more gently and remove gallstones in a more targeted manner.

“It is one of our most important tasks in surgery to ensure the highest possible level of safety during the patient’s operation. This is especially true because we use the latest techniques in minimally invasive surgery, which give us tissue structures that can be more clearly defined,” says Dr. Med. Limber.