PD Dr med. Daniel Dindo

It is the absolute specialisation in a single field that makes a clear difference in modern high-performance medicine. In the field of proctology, when it comes to diseases of the rectum and anal canal, this is rare. But that is not the only reason why PD Dr med. Daniel Dindo and his practice Proctomed have gained a prestigious international reputation: As a partner of the Centre for Surgery at Klinik Hirslanden in Zurich, he is one of the outstanding proctologists of our time far beyond Switzerland. Not least because he is deeply familiar with all areas of his discipline – from diagnostics to innovative forms of therapy. And because he continues to set new standards with his high-ranking publications and his commitment to the continuing education of other specialists.

When a specialist dedicates himself completely to a medical topic, it is a real stroke of luck for patients. PD Dr D. Dindo is just such a doctor: For well over a decade, he has dedicated himself exclusively to proctological diseases – from comprehensive diagnosis to the most diverse therapy to individual follow-up treatment.

At the latest since he was appointed European Specialist in Coloproctology by the European Board of Surgery Qualification in 2008, his medical passion has only been for this discipline. Even though he already had a lot of experience, especially with operations on the abdominal cavity, with a US state examination and appointment as clinical assistant professor – he had long since decided on the field that fascinated him the most and in which he also wanted to make a lot of progress in terms of medical progress: treatment for diseases of the intestine and rectum.

Precise specialisation, broad spectrum

Whether haemorrhoids, anal fistulas, coccygeal fistulas, anal continence problems or anal changes due to viral diseases – more than four thousand consultations a year alone are proof of the enormous experience that PD Dr Dindo can demonstrate. He can also boast more than five hundred operations a year – performed in consultation with the patients at various locations: At the Klinik Hirslanden in Zurich, the Klinik am Park, the Triemli City Hospital, the Männedorf District Hospital or the Zumikon Surgery Centre – all institutions and clinics are equipped with first-class facilities.

Detailed diagnosis: Skilled experience

The difference that PD Dr med. Daniel Dindo’s high level of specialisation makes can already be seen in the consultation. This is because the empathetic specialist addresses the exact symptoms in every consultation – his patients benefiting from his remarkable experience even at the diagnosis stage. Many individual factors also play a role in shaping the individual therapy – such as the level of suffering and the expectations of the people who trustingly place themselves in the hands of the specialist. The detailed talk is usually accompanied by a proctological examination – this taking only a few minutes and not painful in any way. If the clinical picture is more complex and requires further examinations, PD Dr Dindo has a wide range of examination options at his disposal. From colonoscopy – examination of the intestine – to gastroscopy – examination of the stomach – to magnetic resonance imaging and other diagnostic procedures. For these examinations, PD Dr Dindo works together with various specialists from different disciplines.

It is also important for PD Dr Dindo to be open and honest in every respect – even when it comes to the benefits and risks of therapies. In order to avoid unnecessary examinations, the experienced specialist also frequently exchanges information with doctors in private practice. PD Dr Dindo also frequently consults experts from other disciplines. In this regard, the highly specialised physician remains true to his principles: As soon as clarifications become necessary that cannot be offered in the practice for intestinal and rectal diseases, he relies on interdisciplinary expertise. He is in exactly the right place at the Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich.

Innovative forms of therapy through international networking

The treatment options that PD Dr Daniel Dindo presents to his patients are always individual – and surprisingly often do not require surgery. Thanks to his networking in proctology worldwide, he is always up to date with modern procedures. He was the Swiss representative of the European Society for Coloproctology (ESCP) for several years – and through his function as former president of the Swiss Working Group for Coloproctology and as vice-president of the Swiss Study Group for Sacral Nerve Stimulation, he always has his finger on the pulse of modern proctology and the development of new treatment methods.

So it will come as no surprise that PD Dr Dindo chooses medicinal or physiotherapeutic treatments as therapy for many symptoms. Only when such non-surgical therapies are no longer effective does surgery come into question – in direct consultation with the affected persons and their relatives. And even then, the specialist's enormous experience often enables outpatient interventions, which can prevent inpatient stays.

Vitally important: Early diagnosis – despite feeling ashamed

Around half of all adults suffer from a disease in the course of their lives that falls within PD Dr Dindo’s range of expertise. And still many of those patients do not even go to the doctor with their complaints because they are ashamed. PD Dr Dindo knows this problem well from his vast experience. Since many diseases in coloproctology in particular are relatively easy to treat with the right diagnosis, a fair share of education is needed: Sick people have to come to terms with the matter – and ideally see a specialist who not only has a proven track record, but is able to understand and identify with them.

Anyone suffering from a prolapsed bowel, for instance – where the rectum bulges outwards – should not wait until the sphincter muscle is damaged. The problem is usually solved at Proctomed with a small laparoscopic procedure. If genital warts appear, which often manifest themselves in the genital region: These are usually harmless – provided they are treated in time before they can cause anal cancer, for example. The same applies to anal fistulas, coccygeal fistulas and haemorrhoids: If you have such complaints, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor for too long.

Faecal incontinence: Appropriate expertise

A taboo subject that affects older people in particular is faecal incontinence. It is estimated that around five percent of the population in Switzerland suffer from it. The inability to control stool or even diapers, even if it is only an occasional smearing of stool, often brings social life to a complete standstill. Whether bowel incontinence – as this form of anal incontinence is also called – is triggered by age-related weakening of the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles, by improperly performed anal surgery or by neurological disorders such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis: PD Dr med. Daniel Dindo is familiar with all forms of this condition – and with numerous forms of treatment.

He begins by clarifying the causes – doing everything possible to regulate stool consistency. It is frequently enough to avoid milk, artificial sweeteners, alcohol or coffee. A “stool diary” often provides important information. This makes things clear: PD Dr Dindo initially makes use of conservative therapies – typically stool regulation or anal physiotherapy. Physiotherapeutic measures such as anal biofeedback can be just as helpful as certain forms of pelvic floor training.

However, when it comes to surgical therapies, the Zurich practice for intestinal and rectal diseases has one of the most experienced surgeons for faecal incontinence, Dr Daniel Dindo: He is considered an expert in sphincter suturing – a procedure for repairing defective sphincters. This delicate “sphincter repair” operation calls for a lot of experience. But the renowned specialist is also considered an ideal contact for other, often still revolutionary, therapies for faecal incontinence – for example, sacral nerve stimulation, in which important pelvic floor nerves are stimulated: A pacemaker strengthens the sphincter muscle through a constant, barely noticeable stimulus. In this way, PD Dr Dindo significantly improves the symptoms in eighty percent of all patients – completely independent of the cause behind the incontinence. Most of those affected consider the consequences of such an intervention – itself a minor inconvenience – to be true happiness: Because it often allows them to return to a relatively normal way of life.

Internationally in demand for complex diseases

This makes Proctomed, the practice for intestinal and rectal diseases, as part of the Centre for Surgery Zurich at Klinik Hirslanden, a popular place to go for anyone who has problems with the intestines and rectum. With his high level of specialisation, PD Dr med. Daniel Dindo is internationally regarded as a sought-after expert when it comes to particularly complex clinical pictures. His expertise is also highly regarded in the academic world. This is reflected in numerous publications in the world's best medical journals. PD Dr Dindo has published his scientific and practical research results in the “New England Journal of Medicine”, “The Lancet” and “Annals of Surgery”, among others: These journals are among the most renowned in the medical world. He is also the main author and founder of a complication classification system that is used worldwide. With this publication, he succeeded in producing a work that is one of the most frequently cited papers ever in the surgical world.

Proctology throughout the country benefits from the fact that he is also extremely active in the further education and training of specialists in Switzerland. This is reflected, among other things, in the numerous visits by medical colleagues who come to see him time and again to expand their knowledge. In the architecturally attractive Enzenbühl wing of Klinik Hirslanden, PD Dr med. Daniel Dindo has made the Zurich institution Proctomed what it is today: an internationally sought-after address for everything to do with the intestine and rectum.