Ankylosing spondylitis Treatment in Asklepios Altona Clinic

• Da Vinci Center in Hamburg
• Gastroenterology Clinic
• Oncology & Hematology Department

Asklepios Altona was founded in 1783. The hospital consists of 19 departments and a specialized da Vinci Center.

The hospital is situated in Altona district, 15 minutes from the International airport and 6 minutes from the Hamburg city center.

• Robotic surgery. Asklepios Altona in Hamburg is a leading medical institution for robotic surgeries in Germany. Specialists apply the da Vinci Robotic System of the latest generation here. The device helps to perform minimally invasive interventions through incisions up to 1 cm.
• The Safety Committee at Asklepios guarantees safe treatment. The committee controls the treatment process of patients to avoid medical errors and traumas.
• The clinic's recognition. International ISO certificates approve the quality of treatment at Asklepios Klinik Altona.The hospital is regularly ranked as one of the best ones by the Focus, an authoritative German magazine.

ISO 1900:2015

This certificate confirms safety and high quality of treatment. Independent healthcare committee regularly checks the medical equipment, doctors’ qualification, and coordination of the medical team.

Top best clinics according to Focus 2016-2018 version

Asklepios Klinik Altona is ranked among top hospitals in Germany according to the Focus. Asklepios Altona Clinic is the best for prostate, stomach cancers treatment, cardiology, orthopedics, and obstetrics. The Focus rating is based on the treatment success rate in a hospital and specialists’ experience.

6 certified treatment centers

6 departments in Asklepios Altona Clinic are certified by German medical organizations as specialized centers. That means treatment complies with international medical protocols. Specialists apply the newest options, the departments provide innovative medical equipment, employ experienced doctors. Among specialized departments at Asklepios are the Trauma Center, Chest Pain Unit, Stroke Center, Neurology Center, Oncology Center, Head and Neck Center.

The center provides innovative da Vinci XI for robotic surgeries since 2017.

Specialists carry out operations through small incisions up to 1 cm using the da Vinci System. This is a unique system due to its high accuracy in tumor removals — it does not damage healthy tissues.

Advantages of the da Vinci Robotic System:

• fast recovery in comparison with open surgery
• pain is minimal after the surgery.
• less scarring
• low risk of postoperative complications.

Important! Some patients are not indicated for the robotic surgery due to their diagnosis, accompanied diseases or age.

When is the da Vinci surgery indicated?

• General and abdominal surgery — colon and rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, proctoptosis.
• Otorhinolaryngology — to remove new formations of tonsils, throat, tongue.
• Urology — prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, bladder control problems.
• Gynecology — to remove myomas and malignancies.

Urology surgeries using the da Vinci Robotic System

Physicians of the hospital specialize in treatment of diabetes, esophageal, gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreatic and biliary tract diseases.

Interventional Endoscopy Center — diagnostics and treatment through thin tube

Doctors perform endoscopy procedures using a flexible and thin tube (an endoscope) inserted through the nose, mouth or anus. A patient does not feel pain

— an intervention is carried out under local anesthesia.

Diagnostic endoscopy is an accurate technique. It is a long, tube-like instrument with a mini video camera that shows HD-quality images on the monitor. This helps to make an accurate diagnosis and correct treatment plan.

Endoscopic treatment can replace expensive open surgery. Such a procedure is performed through small incisions or natural body openings to diagnose and treat the disease. A surgeon uses an endoscope with special instruments on it to remove polyps, tumors, perform biliary drainage, set stents (tubes) and restore food transmission.

Medical team of Interventional Endoscopy Center

A multidisciplinary medical team is involved in treatment of cancer patients. Hematologists-oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiologists, medical oncologists, psychologists provide conferences where they discuss every diagnosis and make the most appropriate treatment plan.

The doctors of the department treat:

• acute leukemia
• lung cancer
• colon cancer
• gynecologic tumors
• tumors of the head and neck
• lymphoma
• stomach and esophageal cancer
• multiple myeloma (bone marrow disease)
• urogenital tumors.

Doctors at Asklepios Klinik Altona apply the following treatment options:

• Conventional chemotherapy — drugs for malignant diseases. Depending on a diagnosis, a doctor prescribes chemo alone or in combination with surgery and radiotherapy.
• High-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplant. This method is applied to treat myeloma, Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, sarcomas. Doctors at Asklepios Altona Hamburg have over 18 years of experience in applying such a therapy.
• Hormonal therapy is used for hormone-dependent tumors such as prostate and breast cancers. Hormonal therapy does not cause hard side effects compared to chemotherapy.
• Targeted therapy — drugs that target, block, and destroy cancer cells. Such a therapy has less severe side effects and does not damage healthy organs.

English-speaking coordinator

Additionally paid interpreter

Transfer airport-hospital-airport (paid additionally)

Accommodation in single or semi-private wards

Meals in the hospital.