German Hospital Integrates Thoracic Surgery into Cardiology Department
In a move to consolidate and optimize their medical services, the Ortenau Klinikum Offenburg-Kehl in Offenburg, Germany, has integrated the existing Thoracic Surgery department into the Cardiology, Pulmonology, Angiology, Acute Geriatrics, and Intensive Care Medicine department. The integration, which was approved by the Ortenaukreis County Council last year, aims to streamline the hospital’s expertise in the treatment of lung diseases. Under the leadership of Chief Medical Officer Professor Dr. Philipp Diehl, this reorganization will create a comprehensive department that covers a wide range of medical treatments.
Christian Keller, Chairman of the Board of the Ortenau Klinikum, expressed enthusiasm about the integration, stating, “With the integration of Thoracic Surgery, we are taking another step towards consolidating and optimizing our range of medical services within our hospital network. This creates a department with a broad spectrum of treatments.”
New Leadership and Expertise in Thoracic Surgery
The Ortenau Klinikum has appointed Philipp Thrull, an experienced thoracic surgeon, to lead the newly integrated Thoracic Surgery section. Thrull replaces Dr. Lothar Latzke, who retired at the beginning of 2024. Thrull completed his specialized training in Thoracic Surgery at the renowned Lungenklinik Hemer in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is recognized as a center of excellence for thoracic surgery and lung cancer treatment. Thrull brings 13 years of experience, including his most recent role as deputy chief medical officer, to his new position at the Ortenau Klinikum. He aims to implement modern surgical procedures, particularly minimally invasive techniques that enable patients to recover more quickly.
“I am excited about the opportunity to provide high-quality thoracic surgical care to patients in the Ortenaukreis region and to establish minimally invasive procedures as the standard,”
Said Thrull when discussing his goals in his new role.
Expertise and Services of the Thoracic Surgery section
The Thoracic Surgery section ensures all operations involving the chest cavity (thorax), including interventions related to the lungs, respiratory system, rib cage, mediastinum, and diaphragm. With a team of three specialists, including the section’s leader, the Thoracic Surgery section possesses a high level of expertise. The surgeons regularly perform complex lung surgeries, especially for lung cancer cases.
“Lungenzentrum Ortenau” – The Lung Center
The Thoracic Surgery section, alongside the Pulmonology department, also part of the Cardiology, Pulmonology, Angiology, Acute Geriatrics, and Intensive Care Medicine department, forms the “Lungenzentrum Ortenau” or the Lung Center Ortenau. Patients are initially evaluated in the Pulmonology department, where the first assessment takes place. If lung surgery is necessary, it is performed by the Thoracic Surgery department. Both departments are located at the Ebertplatz site of the Ortenau Klinikum in Offenburg. This site includes a new central operating room equipped for complex lung procedures and the necessary expertise in intensive care for postoperative patient care.
“Interdisciplinarity, in collaboration with other specialties such as hematology and oncology, as well as radiation oncology, is a crucial foundation for providing medical care at the highest level,”
Emphasized Dr. Peter Kraemer, Medical Director of the Ortenau Klinikum.
“By consolidating our expertise, we are sustainably strengthening the Lung Center Ortenau and ensuring the availability of thoracic surgical interventions for lung cancer and other conditions in the future.”
