Prof. Dr. med. Peter Issing

He is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a proven specialist in the Bad Hersfeld region able to cover the entire spectrum of diseases of the head and neck at a university level: Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing treats the broad field of otorhinolaryngology and surgery of the head, neck and face – and does so with an impressive mix of enormous experience and comprehensive knowledge of the most modern procedures. Prof. Issing has been the Senior Consultant in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgery since 2003. His patients benefit not least from his networking – and his enormous thirst for research.

In the almost twenty years of his work in Bad Hersfeld, Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing was actively involved in further expanding and establishing the local hospital in its function as a regional centre of excellence for medicine and health. Today, the Klinikum Bad Hersfeld not only offers comprehensive diagnostics, medical care and innovative therapies at a high level – it is also respected greatly in the professional world as an academic teaching hospital of the Justus Liebig University in Giessen and the University of Applied Sciences in Fulda. The hospital also enjoys a reputation beyond the region as a teaching facility of the TH Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences for hospital hygiene and hospital technology – a clear a sign of the excellent care provided to the people around the spa and festival city in the heart of the Waldhessen region.

Prof. Issing and his Clinic Team stand for this focused expertise. This applies to all areas that are bundled in the Clinic’s rather long name – thereby summing up the vast expertise of the Senior Consultant: The Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgery covers the entire spectrum of diseases of the head and neck with excellent equipment. Here, all impairments in this region of the body are effectively recognised and treated appropriately – using state-of-the-art procedures at all times.

Conservative or surgical: comprehensive diagnostics as a prerequisite

Prof. Issing always tries to find a way to avoid surgical intervention here. As a member of several professional societies, he is always informed about new possibilities of conservative treatment methods, which is why he is often able to carry out therapies without surgery – especially in the classic field of ear, nose and throat medicine.

However, it is precisely surgery where Prof. Issing repeatedly attracts attention – like when it comes to ultra-modern procedures in middle ear surgery, and above all reconstructive interventions here. With tympanoplasty, for example, he reconstructs the eardrum or even the ossicular chain in order to sustainably improve hearing after injuries or inflammations. Especially when operating on the tiny structures that predominate in the middle ear, the amazingly delicate work requires an experienced specialist – especially when using the body's own materials for reconstruction. Prof. Issing uses the latest generation of surgical microscopes for this – which means he can even operate on an outpatient basis. The clear advantage: The success is immediately apparent when hearing is finally restored. Prof. Issing also has tremendous experience in reconstructing inner ear connections and in interventions that have become necessary due to chronic middle ear infections.

Hearing loss: Centre for Cochlear Implants

When it comes to hearing loss, word of Prof. Issing’s outstanding reputation has spread quickly: The Cochlea Implant Centre North Hesse occupies a special position in the hospital network – because the various forms of hearing loss in children and adults are treated effectively here. With the cochlear implant, the centre offers an electronic hearing prosthesis that replaces practically all functions of the inner ear and stimulates the auditory nerve – giving people with profound hearing loss, or even deafness, acoustic perceptions they had long dreamed of.

Via the Eustachian tube, we have a direct passage from the ears to the nose – and hence to his next area of specialisation: In the case of the nose and paranasal sinuses, it is mainly a matter of remedying problems with nasal breathing and treating inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinuses. Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing also intervenes if drainage of the lacrimal ducts is impaired – his delicate surgical techniques usually ensuring that no visible signs of incision are left behind.

This is because Prof. Issing almost exclusively performs minimally invasive operations in the area of the nose and sinuses. With so-called keyhole surgery, Prof. Issing not only avoids surgical scars on the face, but also shortens the healing process and thus the hospital stay. Patients in Bad Hersfeld rely on the experience and expertise of the Clinic’s Director – because surgery on the paranasal sinuses is a matter for specialists who are demonstrably familiar with such procedures, whose high complexity stems from their direct proximity to the eye socket and brain. Of course, Prof. Issing is not only assisted by his skilled team here – endoscopes and a surgical microscope are standard equipment.

Tumour diseases: vast experience with complex interventions

Delicate operations that are performed after detailed diagnostics – Prof. Issing also approaches therapies for malignant diseases of the upper airways and respiratory tract with this high standard. This allows the Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology, Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgery in Bad Hersfeld to perform minimally invasive procedures for tumour removal – and apply transoral methods, i.e. through the mouth. The laser scalpel is also used here. Often, the main aim is to reconcile the best possible tumour control with the best possible quality of life – like in the case of laryngeal cancer. Prof. Issing and his team often discover tumours in the early stages when people come to the Clinic with constant hoarseness or difficulty swallowing. Complete removal of the larynx is then usually avoided.

But even in such cases, the specialist and his team can be relied on: Whenever possible, Prof. Issing inserts a voice prosthesis during the operation – this often allowing voice rehabilitation to be achieved. And of course, plastic surgery procedures are often necessary after tumour operations, which Prof. Issing also masters – especially when it comes to malignant tumours on the nose, forehead or auricle. The Senior Consultant often creates the aesthetic reconstruction of the affected area directly during the complete removal of the tumour.

The treatment of a rare, but mostly benign tumour of the auditory and vestibular nerve is also one of Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing’s specialities: In the case of acoustic neuroma – which can cause hearing loss and dizziness – even the diagnosis requires a lot of experience, because absolutely no complaints can be caused. This tumour (also called vestibular schwannoma), affects the cranial fossa – so if you suspect it, you should go directly to a renowned specialist. Incidentally, a common symptom of acoustic neuroma is a problem in which Prof. Issing is also considered an expert – namely tinnitus.

Plastic aesthetic surgery: restoration with the body's own materials

Just as tumour operations at the Clinic in Bad Hersfeld often extend far into the special field of plastic and aesthetic surgery, the range of services also includes corrections for congenital or acquired deformities in the ear, nose and throat area – as well as cosmetic corrections of scars or wrinkles. For the best possible reconstruction of impaired regions in the head and neck area, it does not matter whether the malformation is congenital or whether the defect originates from an accident or a tumour operation. The most common areas of application (where the team led by Senior Consultant Prof. Issing have the most experience) involve corrections of protruding auricles and nose corrections – such as crooked or humped noses or in the case of a deviated septum.

This mostly involves modelling existing tissue, which, among other things, prevents rejection reactions. Transplantation of skin, soft tissue or bone are among the more frequent other tasks Prof. Issing has to deal with. And if the swallowing function is impaired after a tumour has been removed from the throat and neck, Prof. Issing relies on a particularly innovative method: He takes tissue from the forearm or from the back region for reconstruction – clear evidence of his role on the cutting edge of international high-performance medicine in plastic-reconstructive surgery of the head and neck region.

Thyroid diseases: interdisciplinary approach

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgery, under the direction of Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing, has another field in which the Senior Consultant specialises – that of thyroid diseases. The connection is clear: Diseases of the thyroid gland often cause dysphagia, hoarseness or the so-called globus sensation, namely the feeling of having foreign bodies in the throat area. Here, too, the first priority is to treat such diseases ideally without surgery – yet Prof. Issing has mastered a wide range of surgical procedures for therapy here. Particularly in the case of tumours, operations involving draining the lymphatic pathways are standard in Bad Hersfeld.

In the case of thyroid diseases, the specialist's interdisciplinary approach is particularly evident: During treatment, Prof. Issing not only relies on the expertise of his colleagues at Klinikum Bad Hersfeld – in areas such as nuclear medicine or endocrinology – but also on cooperation with general practitioners or ENT doctors in private practice.

Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing also utilises extremely gentle procedures for thyroid diseases. This starts with comprehensive diagnostics – conducted without radiation exposure as far as possible – typically using a state-of-the-art ultrasound device with colour Doppler function. If – for example in the case of a goitre – an intervention is necessary, Prof. Issing’s team also has a variety of surgical strategies at its disposal. These are always selected individually in line with the specific case. Whether it is a matter of “peeling out” individual nodes or cysts or even the complete removal of both thyroid lobes – Prof. Issing has a wealth of experience when it comes to this organ. Also because of the proximity of the vocal cord nerves, it is advisable to rely on an excellent specialist who can also utilise the very best equipment for a forthcoming operation on the thyroid gland. And if complications are encountered – for instance with the laryngeal function – Prof. Dr med. Issing is in his element as an ENT specialist anyway.

Further training measures: always up to date

As a versatile specialist, Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing has additional qualifications besides otorhinolaryngology, special ENT surgery and plastic surgery: He also has extensive experience in allergology, environmental medicine and palliative medicine – plus he holds a degree in health economics. No wonder, then, that Prof. Issing also relies on first-class training and continuing education measures for his team. To give an example: there is a weekly Clinic-internal training event on current topics, which is certified by the State Medical Association.

The Senior Consultant’s membership in leading professional societies flanks the quality of the Clinic – and that of the further training measures. For example, Prof. Issing is a member of the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, the German Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the German Society for Skull Base Surgery. In other words: Prof. Dr med. Peter Issing is exactly the doctor patients want when they approach the Clinic – the Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology, Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgery. And for thyroid surgery, of course.