Centre for Internal Medicine

Clinic for General Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectiology, Pneumology

Our clinic provides care for patients with diseases from all internistic fields. One focal point is gastroenterological oncology and hepatology as well as pneumology.

We offer an entire range of endoscopic (24/7 on-call duty) and sonographic diagnostics as well as interventional-therapeutic methods beneath specific procedures such as photo-dynamics, mucosa resection, endosonography including endosonographically-controlled interventions as well as mini-laparoscopies. Gastroenterologically-emphasized oncology also provides any type of (neo-) adjuvant and palliative chemotherapies for gastrointestinal tumours – including neuro-endocrine tumours and GIST. The process of coming to a decision is taking place on an interdisciplinary field - in the context of tumour conferences.

Another emphasis is nutritional medicine, practised by an interdisciplinary team, consisting of physicians, dieticians and specialised nurses. This clinic disposes of full authorisation to provide education for certification of gastroenterologists, hepatologists and infectiologists.

Treatment and care emphases

  • Gastroenterology
  • Gastroenterological oncology
  • Liver centre
  • Pneumology
  • Chronically inflammatory bowel diseases
  • Internistic intensive care
  • Metabolic disorders
  • Clinical immunology and rheumatology
  • Nutritional medicine / dietetics
  • Laser therapy
  • Photodynamic therapy (e.g. bile-duct tumours)
  • Gallstone lithotripsia
  • Stent implantations
  • Mucosa resections

Special offers and facilities

  • Endoscopy department and gastroenterological as well as pneumatological functional laboratory
  • Central sonography, contrast inhanced ultrasound, sonographically-controlled interventions (Degum level III)
  • Numerous spezial consultations (among others: CED, hepatitis, HIV)
  • Close cooperation with Tübingen University regarding photo-dynamic therapy of patients with liver resections
  • Nutrition courses
  • Case management

Distinguished techniques in diagnosis and therapy

  • Competence of one source: the complete array of procedures in diagnostics and therapy of gastrointestinal tumours (endoscopic-interventional therapy, (neo-)adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy, best supportive care, nutritional therapy, palliative medicine)
  • Photodynamic therapy of bile duct tumours
  • Mucosectomy of early stage carcinomas
  • Stent implantations in the entire upper and lower gastrointestinal tract and the tracheobronchial system
  • Double-balloon endoscopy
  • Video-capsule endoscopy
  • Endosonographically-controlled interventions
  • Mini-laparoscopy for clarification of oncological and hepatological problems
  • Thoracoscopy
  • Contrast inhanced ultrasound

Studies/scientific activities

  • Degum-Multicentre-Intervention Study
  • Palliative chemotherapy for colon cancer- (FIRE-III; Synchronos), rectal cancer (PETACC6) und neuroendocrine carcinomas (CRAD-001K2413)
  • EUS-FNP for tumours of the upper gastrointestinal tract
  • Complications at sonographically-controlled punctures

Quality assurance

  • Quality assurance stroke (GeQiK) und pneumonia (BQS)
  • South-West German Centre for Neuroendocrine Tumours
  • Stuttgart Centre for Infectiology
  • Certified Bowel Centre
  • Certified Pancreas Centre

Hospital numbers

2015 2016 2017  
69 66 64 Available Beds
3.922 3,817 3,634 Inpatient Cases
5.7 5.7 5.8 Length of stay in days

Selected Services (number of cases)

2015 2016 2017  
12.800 13.000 13.100 Diagnostic endoscopy and sonography
1.100 1.180 1.160 Interventional / therapeutic endoscopy
480 560 580 Functional diagnostics and specific procedures (e.g. RFA, laser, Lithotripsy, Thoracoscopy, EUS-FNA, EUS elastography, CH-EUS)