Endocrine Surgery Neuss (NRW): Katharina Schwarz

Katharina Schwarz is a specialist in endocrine surgery and head physician at the Clinic for Endocrine Surgery at Lukaskrankenhaus, Rheinland Klinikum Neuss. The German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) certified the clinic, making it one of the nine reference centers for thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

The team, led by head physician Katharina Schwarz, has many years of experience and state-of-the-art technical equipment for operating on benign and malignant thyroid diseases. The correct and critical indication before each surgery is the requirement for good results.

Specialist for Thyroid Diseases & Thyroid Enlargement (Goiter)

A typical thyroid condition, goiter, can cause symptoms in patients or can be asymptomatic. The leading cause of thyroid enlargement is often an iodine deficiency, which stimulates the growth of the thyroid gland to counteract an impending hormone deficiency. A precise diagnosis is essential depending on the type of change, whether it is a diffuse enlargement (diffuse goiter) or nodular changes (nodular goiter) caused by benign adenomas, cysts, or even malignant tissue.

Possible patient complaints include a feeling of tightness in the throat, difficulty swallowing, or breathing difficulties due to the increased pressure on the esophagus or trachea. The enlargement usually develops over an extended period, meaning the symptoms may not appear until later and often go unnoticed.

In many cases, extensive treatment of goiter is unnecessary, and many patients remain symptom-free. In some cases, there is a desire for treatment for esthetic reasons. Taking iodine tablets or thyroid hormones can lead to a reduction in size.

Patients can expect the best medical care at the Thyroid Center at the Rheinland Klinikum at Lukaskrankenhaus if surgical treatment is indicated.

Surgical Treatment of Benign Thyroid Nodules

When you come to the Endocrine Surgery Clinic at Lukaskrankenhaus in Neuss, a detailed medical history and physical examination will be carried out. This may be followed by further examinations such as an ultrasound scan and measurement of thyroid hormones in the blood.

If further clarification is required to rule out a malignant process, scintigraphy and fine tissue examination by biopsy are used to diagnose precisely. Scintigraphy is an examination to visualize hormone activity in the tissue. A weakly radioactively marked drug is injected for this purpose, which is increasingly visible in hormone-active nodules. Cold nodes, on the other hand, do not light up.

Surgical treatment is not always necessary for benign thyroid nodules, so the Lukaskrankenhaus in Neuss attaches great importance to the correct and critical indication.

Most Extraordinary Expertise in Diagnosis & Therapy of Thyroid Cancer

If a malignant tissue formation in the thyroid gland is suspected, a fine needle biopsy is carried out to confirm the diagnosis. The diagnosis of cancer means great uncertainty for those affected. Katharina Schwarz's team in the Endocrine Surgery department takes patients by the hand in this challenging situation and develops a precisely adapted treatment concept.

In the case of malignant neoplasms, surgical removal of the tumor is indicated. State-of-the-art technical aids and many years of experience guarantee that the specialists in Neuss work with precision during tumor resection. Patients can count on rapid planning and implementation of the surgery after diagnosis at Lukaskrankenhaus.

The clinic's particular focus is treating familial and spontaneous thyroid cancer. It is sporadic, accounting for only 2% of all new cancers, but accounts for around 10% of surgeries at the Center for Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery in Neuss.

Individual Diagnostics & Therapy for Parathyroid Tumors

The parathyroid glands are directly attached to the thyroid gland and play an essential role in regulating the calcium balance. In rare cases, a parathyroid adenoma can develop, which is a benign tumor that can upset the hormonal balance.

Diseases of the parathyroid glands are much rarer overall and are almost always benign. High parathyroid hormone and calcium levels are noticeable in the blood test, and even slight deviations in the calcium level can be problematic. The breakdown of bone substance can lead to bone fractures, and those affected can also suffer from kidney and gallstones and gastric problems. Other symptoms such as depression, sleep disorders, fatigue, and muscle weakness can also be caused.

For this reason, parathyroid adenomas or autonomic hyperfunction should usually be treated surgically with removal of the glandular bodies.

The specialists at Lukaskrankenhaus Neuss have broad experience and precision in removing parathyroid glands so that patients can rely on their particular expertise.

Finally, in cooperation with the Surgical Clinic I, the center offers special consultation hours for sporadic neuroendocrine tumors.

Please, visit the website of the Clinic for Endocrine Surgery at Lukaskrankenhaus Neuss for more information.