Liver Diseases

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the Friedrichshafen Clinical Center offers treatment for almost the entire spectrum of liver diseases using modern techniques. Head of the Department is Professor MD K. Arnold, who has professional experience about 20 years. Specializations of the Department are internal medicine, surgery, gastroenterology and hepatology.

The Range of Services of the Friedrichshafen Clinic

• Acute and chronic liver disease
• Viral liver diseases as Hepatitis A, B, C
• Liver cirrhosis
• Liver tumors

Acute liver diseases, regardless the cause, require medication. Without adequate treatment, they could turn into chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis. The only method of treatment of liver cirrhosis is surgical intervention, whereas the others are aimed at reducing of the disease symptoms. As to the liver cancer, it is hardly possible to combat that disease without surgery.

Successful treatment of any disease is impossible without proper diagnostics. In our center we use the devices of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for liver diseases diagnostics:

• CT scan is a device which allows you to take high-precision images of the body. Following the CT doctor gets layered images of the examined organ and determines the precise localization of disease, injury size and condition of surrounding structures.
• MRI is a diagnostics method, which also used to produce layered images of the body. It works using magnetic radiation, and therefore contraindicated for use in patients with a pacemaker because it can disrupt the rhythm of the heart.

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Liver Diseases in the Friedrichshafen Clinic

Minimally invasive operations are the surgical treatments performed using laporoscopic technique without dissection of the soft tissues. For access to the liver a surgeon makes a few punctures in anterior abdominal wall. A camera, which translates the color image onto the screen, is introduces into one of them whilst the others are used for surgical tools introduction. Surgeon is leaded in his action with the image on the monitor. Minimally invasive surgery for liver diseases allow to reduce blood loss and damage of healthy tissues, as well as shortening of the rehabilitation period and decreasing a number of possible complications.

Reconstruction of Hepatic Arteries Using 3D-imaging in the Friedrichshafen Clinic

In our clinic we widely use this method when liver tumors, for pre-operational evaluation of degree of liver parenchyma lesions. Using computed imaging a surgeon could plan entire operation, determining a method of removing, extent of necessary preparations and possible complications. Reconstructive surgery of hepatic arteries is carried out as following:

• Spiral computed tomography is performed;
• Disease lesions are revealed;
• A three-dimensional image of patient’s liver is generated, based on which a surgeon conducts an operation;
• The functional viability of the rest of the organ is estimated.

Surgery of Liver Tumors at the Friedrichshafen Clinic

Performing surgical treatment of liver tumors, physician shall observe the following principles:

• Excision of a whole tumor;
• Keeping functioning the remaining part of the hepatic parenchyma;
• Maintaining an adequate blood flow to the body;
• Maintaining an adequate drainage of the gall.

In the Friedrichshafen Clinic, liver tumors are treated by the following methods:

• Atypical resection;
• Segments resection;
• Central resection;
• Left side hepatectomy;
• Right side hepatectomy;
• Extended left side hepatectomy;
• Extended right side hepatectomy.

Surgical treatment of the disease is carried out under general anesthesia. The whole operation for liver tumor takes from 3 to 7 hours. Access to the liver is carried out through the anterior abdominal wall in the right hypochondrium. The surgeon removes the tumor within healthy tissue, restores an adequate blood flow in the liver, and sets drainages. Then he sews soft tissue or tightens dissection area with special clips. After surgical treatment of tumor diseases of the liver, patient stays in the intensive care unit for a day, and, then, is transferred to the ordinary ward for further observation for some time. The average postoperative observation lasts about a week.

Atypical Liver Resection in the Friedrichshafen Clinic

Atypical or non-anatomical live resection in the Friedrichshafen Clinic are performed mainly for malignant tumors and metastatic lesions. The term ‘atypical’ means that there is no strict consideration of architectonic hepatic vessels and ducts during this type of operation, and excision of liver tissue may be flat, bordering, tapered or transverse.

Segments Resection in the Friedrichshafen Clinic

Segments resection is carried out when having metastatic tumors of liver. Mostly, it is possible in earlier stages of liver cancer. The liver consists of 8 segments and mostly the following kinds of resection are performed:

• Resection of a 4th segment as the most frequently having metastatic lesions;
• Resection of 1st segment separately, or in combination with left or right side hepatectomy.

Central Resection

Central liver resection is removing of its central segments as 4th, 5th and 8th. This kind of operation is performed in case of metastatic lesions or liver cancer.

Hepatectomy in the Friedrichshafen Clinic

Hepatectomy is an extensive liver resection applied mostly in case of cancer and sometimes for other liver diseases. There are following kinds of hepatectomy:

• Right side hepatectomy, when 65 per cent of liver excised;
• Left side hepatectomy, when 35 per cent of liver excised;
• Left of right extended hepatectomy, when 70-80 percent of liver removed.

In Friedrichshafen clinic intraoperative sonography is used for the treatment of liver diseases, which is ultrasound of bile and blood vessels for revealing of their pathology. The method allows differentiating the diseases identified during procedure, and deciding on the treatment tactics.

If you have any questions and you want to apply for treatment in our clinic, please contact us in any way suitable for you.