Focal areas of therapy of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine

Focal areas of treatment and therapy of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine

The Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at the St. Josef Hospital Uerdingen employs all currently standard procedures of general and regional anaesthesia.

Our aim is to support the patient through the operation phase safely and without anxiety or pain. This includes a premedication consultation held in the relaxed atmosphere of our Anaesthesiology Outpatient Clinic. In the case of bedridden patients, the anaesthesiology consultation naturally takes place at the bedside. Particularly where the patient has suffered other serious conditions in the past, has "anaesthesia phobia" or where there is a possibility of using peridural anaesthesia during childbirth, we are very happy to see patients several weeks before the actual operation.

We make every effort to ensure that patients who received their pre-medication from a particular doctor are managed by the same doctor during anaesthesia induction.

During the operation our aim is always to ensure a sufficiently deep state of anaesthesia to block pain as well as any unpleasant intra-operative experiences.
Regional anaesthesia is a preferred option for suitable patients because it can achieve better freedom from pain, particularly in the post-operative phase. In obstetrics regional anaesthesia can be very beneficial for mother and baby.

All patients are monitored and cared for post-operatively in our Recovery Room, apart from those who need to go to the Intensive Care Ward as a result of major surgery or serious pre-existing conditions. Here we provide patients with specific assistance if they are suffering from pain, nausea or other ailments.

The Intensive Care Ward uses a variety of techniques, e.g. artificial respiration, renal replacement therapy, vein and cardiac catheters and highly potent medication. Our aim is to provide intensive therapeutic care tailored to the specific patient, i.e. we do not just rely on inflexible high-tech medical approaches. The patient's medical history and relatives are taken into account in the therapy decision-making process. We are keen that seriously ill patients are able to have visitors and enable this insofar as the condition of the patient and ward procedures allow.

Some experienced members of the department act as emergency physicians and contribute to the emergency care provision in the Krefeld region.

A further important area of the department is the Autologous Blood Donation Outpatient Clinic. In suitable cases whole blood donations are taken here from the patient him/herself in order to avoid or reduce the use of allogeneic blood (i.e. blood donated by others) during the operation. Other techniques employed to avoid the transfusion of allogeneic blood are the use of medical instruments that remove and reprocess the blood from the operation wound, as well as heating devices that reduce bleeding and also increase the comfort and safety of the patient. These efforts significantly reduce the need for transfusion of allogeneic blood. Chief Physician Dr. med. Martin Wazinski is responsible for the area of transfusion at the St. Josefshospital Uerdingen. The department also conducts in-house professional development events. Department staff publish reports from our area and also offer their own professional development sessions.

Pain patients from the local area are treated in our Outpatient Clinic. A range of approaches, e.g. medication, acupuncture, TENS and physical therapy, are employed following a detailed consultation and examination. Where pain patients need to be admitted as inpatients, they can receive ongoing care from one of our staff on the relevant ward. We support the efforts of the Hospice Movement in Krefeld.

A particular highlight of our department is the employment of ultrasound techniques, e.g. to monitor cerebral blood circulation and to facilitate vasopunctures (puncture of blood vessels with needles). The prototype of a new design of ultrasound probe for the discovery of intra-operative embolisms is currently being investigated.

We offer courses in resuscitation. Our target groups are hospital staff, office-based physicians and their teams as well as sports clubs and companies. Please contact us if you are interested.