Protocols – What specialists say about the ban on surgery – Starnberg

oncology

Max Hubmann is a specialist in internal medicine, hematology and oncology. He works at two haemato-oncological practice locations, in Herrsching and in Wolfratshausen. When asked whether operations in his medical field are currently being postponed on the grounds that they are not urgently necessary, the doctor denies: “You can answer that very clearly, namely with a no,” says Hubmann. “Surgery may be postponed by the day, but not over a period of weeks like orthopedic surgery.” So far, Hubmann has not had to tell any of his patients that an operation will not take place indefinitely due to a lack of capacity. According to the specialist, there have also been no delays with on-site clarifications in his practice. And even if you have to go to a clinic for this, it is “really done promptly,” says Hubmann. In other words, there are appointments for patients within five working days. And Hubmann does not expect the situation in the field of oncology to deteriorate drastically in the future either. “If so, then at most through the loss of staff,” says the doctor. “If, of course, the surgeon is absent from all surgical staff due to an omicron infection, then it can of course be the case that certain things are postponed by a week or then accumulate,” says Hubmann. “We’ll see that in the next three weeks.” However, such daily shifts are not medically relevant, says the oncology specialist.

ENT medicine

Open detailed view

Bernhard Junge-Hülsing is a specialist in ENT medicine. So far this winter he has “only been restricted twice” when it comes to surgeries, but he can only speak for his area. He operates on children and adults with hearing disorders, chronic inflammation and enlargement of the palatine and pharyngeal tonsils, polyps, voice disorders, nasal breathing difficulties and sleep breathing disorders. He reports that he was “not able to operate at all from November to March” in the winter of 2020/21 because staff were needed elsewhere. Forecasts were not possible at the time: “We suddenly had to cancel everything in November and were only able to plan again in March.” The doctor says: “You then have to negotiate that children who are really acutely threatened – for example, have childhood sleep apnea with breathing pauses every night – can then be operated on one day in between as an emergency. But otherwise that’s how it was.” Last winter, only the treatment of serious emergencies was possible. According to the doctor, it is certain that prolonged breathing and hearing problems can lead to (speech) development disorders. After a brief hesitation, he says about his canceled surgeries: “It was all still medically justifiable.” But: “Many situations were uncomfortable for the patients and their parents – and an impertinence for our employees, some of whom were exposed to the expressions of displeasure.”