Endocrine Surgery Duisburg (NRW): Prof Schimmack

Prof Dr Simon Schimmack is a specialist in endocrine surgery and head physician of the Department of General and Visceral Surgery at the Evangelisches Krankenhaus BETHESDA in Duisburg. He acquired his surgical training at the largest surgical Hospital in Germany, the Heidelberg University Hospital and European Pancreas Center, and brings this expertise to the Ruhrgebiet.

Prof Schimmack and his team operate daily on patients with diseases of the hormone-forming glands with the highest professional competence and the most modern technical equipment. In doing so, the individual is the focus of attention and is respected and appreciated.

Endocrine Surgery in Duisburg: Experienced Specialist for Thyroid Gland Diseases

Endocrine surgery focuses on diseases of organs that produce hormones and release them into the blood. These include the thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, and adrenal glands. Prof Dr Simon Schimmack has a wide-ranging spectrum of treatments focusing on treating pathological changes in the thyroid gland.

The thyroid hormones fulfill vital tasks and are significantly involved in regulating growth and metabolic processes. Over- or under-functions of the thyroid gland have far-reaching consequences and affect the entire organism. In many cases, the thyroid tissue is significantly enlarged.

The Department of Endocrine Surgery at BETHESDA Evangelical Hospital specializes in the surgical removal of pathologically altered thyroid tissue. Such interventions always require careful surgical preparation, including detailed diagnostics and a precise surgical procedure. Continuous neuromonitoring is standard in every surgery to minimize the risk of injury to surrounding nerves during the procedure and reduce consequential damage.   

Comprehensive Range of Services and Therapeutic Options for Thyroid Cancer

Changes in thyroid tissue can also indicate cancer. At BETHESDA Hospital, extensive diagnostic measures are carried out to detect possible cancer as quickly as possible and to initiate adequate therapy.

When choosing a suitable treatment strategy, the focus is always on the patient and their individual needs and circumstances. Surgeons, radiotherapists, and oncologists work closely together to design a unique treatment concept for each patient in interdisciplinary collaboration.

Prof Dr Simon Schimmack and his team offer patients a wide range of services, including surgical removal of cancerous tissue and conservative measures such as radioiodine therapy.

Radioiodine therapy takes advantage of the fact that some thyroid tumors absorb large amounts of iodine. Radioactive iodine is applied, absorbed into the corresponding cells, and destroys the diseased tissue in a targeted manner. This form of therapy can be used for certain forms of thyroid cancer as well as for benign hyperthyroidism with organ enlargement.

State-of-the-Art Therapy & Minimally Invasive Surgery for Diseases of the Adrenal Gland and Adrenal Medulla

The adrenal glands are on top of the two kidneys, each consisting of the cortex and the adrenal medulla. The cortex produces various hormones to regulate water and electrolyte balance and sex hormones.

One of the best-known adrenal cortex diseases is Conn's syndrome, in which too much aldosterone is produced. Patients then usually suffer from disturbances of the electrolyte balance and hypertension, which is difficult to control because of the excess hormone.

Cushing's syndrome results from the excessive production of cortisol in the adrenal cortex. Typical symptoms include truncal obesity, elevated blood sugar levels, and high blood pressure. 

The adrenal medulla produces the hormones dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, which are released more significantly during stressful situations. Tumors of the adrenal medulla, such as pheochromocytoma, can lead to the inadequately high secretion of these hormones, which can cause high blood pressure, excessive sweating, headaches, and restlessness in affected individuals.

The Department of Endocrine Surgery at BETHESDA Evangelical Hospital, headed by Prof Dr Simon Schimmack, specializes in the surgical treatment of adrenal gland tumors. The team relies on minimally invasive and robotically assisted surgical techniques to offer patients the gentlest and lowest-risk treatment method possible.

Highest Expertise in Diagnosis and Therapy of Tumors of the Pancreas

The pancreas comprises a hormone-producing part (endocrine) and cells that produce digestive enzymes and release them into the small intestine (exocrine). Endocrine surgery mainly treats diseases of the hormone-producing pancreas.

The most important hormones of the pancreas are insulin and its counterpart glucagon. Simply put, insulin lowers blood glucose levels by absorbing sugar into cells, while glucagon raises them. Pancreatic tumors that cause excessive production of the hormones, therefore, trigger blood glucose disorders in those affected. One example of this is the so-called insulinoma.

Prof Dr Simon Schimmack has far-reaching experience in the surgical treatment of pancreatic tumors. He is characterized by using an exact procedure so that, in many cases, an organ-preserving operation can be carried out. To this end, he uses special techniques for careful diagnosis and minimally invasive therapy.

The diagnostic procedure also includes DOTATOC PET/CT. This is a state-of-the-art procedure for the diagnosis of hormone-producing tumors. This technique is clearly superior to other imaging methods so that even the most minor tumors can be identified.

At the BETHESDA Hospital in Duisburg, an indication for surgery is made very carefully, considering the medical facts and the patient's needs. Therefore, in addition to surgical measures, conservative treatment approaches such as the state-of-the-art PRRT procedure (peptide radio-receptor therapy) are also part of the range of services. This involves delivering radioactive drugs directly to specific binding sites on the tumor cells to inhibit their growth.

Please, visit the website of the Department of General and Visceral Surgery for further information.