The Latin word “viscera” means “organs”. Therefore visceral surgery is surgery of internal organs. This was defined as a subspecialty in Germany and does not exist in this form in the Anglo-American medical system. Gynecology covers the female organs (uterus, ovaries and vagina/vulva); urology deals with the kidneys, bladder and prostate as well as the male sexual organs. All the remaining organs are subject of visceral surgery, starting with the esophagus, stomach, small and large bowel all the way to the rectum and anus. It also includes the liver, the gall bladder, bile ducts, pancreas and spleen as well as the endocrine glands (thyroid, parathyroid and adrenals) and the abdominal wall (incision hernias, inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias etc.)
The visceral surgeon operates benign and malignant conditions of the abdominal organs (e.g. inguinal hernias, gallstones, cancer of the colon). In addition to conventional open procedures minimal invasive techniques (laparoscopy) are becoming increasingly important.
Benign conditions include inflammatory diseases like cholecystitis (gallstones), appendicitis, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease and many more. In addition functional problems like diseases of the thyroid gland, peritoneal adhesions, bowel obstruction, fecal incontinence and hernias from the diaphragm to the groin are treated by the visceral surgeon.
The second group of diseases consists of malignant tumors of the abdominal organs. Due to specialization over many years I concentrate on tumors of the stomach (gastric cancer), the small and large bowel and the rectum/anus.
Do contact us any time in our highly specialized practice in the heart of Munich. We will, try to answer any questions concerning surgery of the colon and rectum, the stomach, the gall bladder and bile ducts, the thyroid and hernias.