Asst Lect. Dr Martin Huertgen has been the Senior Consultant of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Catholic Hospital in Coblenz since 2002. As a specialist in general surgery and thoracic surgery, he looks back over 30 years of experience in surgery; he has worked in a leading capacity for around 25 years. Thanks to his contribution to the research of new techniques and his membership of the major national and international associations in his field, he has an outstanding reputation the world over.
Dr Huertgen and his team at the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Catholic Hospital in Coblenz specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the thorax and the lungs. These include, for example, tumours in the lungs and on the chest wall, fluid build-up in the pleural cavity, inflammation and collapsed lung. A variety of state-of-the-art surgical techniques are utilised. For this, the most up-to-date technical equipment is available to the specialists. Minimally invasive techniques are particularly promising; using these, the complete opening of the rib cage can be avoided,. This procedure is performed within the context of a so-called thoracoscopy, via small access incisions between the ribs.
One important focus of the Department of Thoracic Surgery under the leadership of Dr Huertgen is the treatment of lung cancer. The hospital’s Interdisciplinary Lung Cancer Centre, certified by the German Cancer Association, brings a variety of fields together in order to provide the affected patients with the best and most promising treatment possible. Outstanding medical practitioners in fields such as oncology, pneumonology, thoracic surgery and radiology discuss each individual case during the weekly tumour conference and determine an individual approach. Since the focus here is not on the condition but on the individual, the patient’s family and social situation are also a part of the strategic evaluation. The specialists are always receptive to personal discussion with and questions from those affected.
One important pillar of the interdisciplinary Lung Cancer Centre is participation in medical trials. Here, various patient groups are able to benefit from innovative treatments and medications, if they would like to do, and thus improve their chances of healing. At the same time, the trials contribute to the establishment of these approaches and thus help to advance cancer therapy overall. Dr Huertgen is himself active in research and presents pioneering new insights within the framework of a large number of publications.
Surgery for bronchial carcinoma: Gentle but thorough treatment of early stages using minimally invasive surgical techniques
- Video-assisted mediastinoscopic lymphadenectomy(VAMLA)
- Thoracoscopic lobectomy
Combination treatment of advanced tumour stages
- Pre-treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by surgery
- Extensive resection of tumours of the lung together with the chest wall and other organs
- Follow-up treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy to increase the chances of healing Surgery for metastasis in the lungs, chest wall, mediastinum: Pulmonary metastases
- Minimally invasive thoracoscopic resection of single metastases
- Also excision of multiple pulmonary metastases using a special laser for the pulmonary tissue
Chest wall
- Minimally invasive palliative excision of single ribs
- Extensive resection of the chest wall for metastases and radiation necrosis of the chest wall with plastic coverage in interdisciplinary collaboration with the Department of Plastic Surgery
Mediastinum
- Video mediastinoscopic diagnostic and palliative resection of lymph node metastases Tracheal surgery
- Tracheal segment resection with end to end anastomosis
- High tracheal stenosis with laryngostenosis in collaboration with the ENT Department
- Palliative endobronchial recanalisation and stent implantation Surgery for tumours of the chest wall and the mediastinum
- Primary tumours of the chest wall in accordance with the principles of sarcoma surgery, with an interdisciplinary treatment concept
- Mediastinal tumours, extensive curative resection via sternotomy, thoracoscopic or minimally invasive histology extraction for radiotherapy / chemotherapy, depending on the histology and tumour stage. Laser surgery of the lungs, chest wall and trachea
A special laser, developed by Dr Rolle, is primarily utilised for the lung parenchyma-maintaining resection of pulmonary metastases.
- Together with the conventional surgical techniques, laser, argon plasma coagulation and the ultrasonic knife are also utilised in the trachea and on the chest wall. Minimally invasive surgery (VAT = video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery)
Bronchoscopic procedures
Marienhof Catholic Hospital, Coblenz
Rudolf-Virchow-Strasse 7
56073 Koblenz am Rhein
Webseite: www.kk-km.de
Phone: +49 261 91119001
Landline at local rates