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Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

[May 2012]

U. Müller-Ladner, PhD, Director

The Unit for Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology has 49 beds and is one of the largest rheumatology centers in Germany. Some 1,000 patients are treated here per year as in-patients and about 7,000 out-patient examinations are conducted. Our experts treat all kinds and all degrees of complex rheumatic disorders including rheumatologic emergency cases and patients with intensive medical needs.

Committed to obtaining therapeutic success

“Rheumatism” is the umbrella term for about 400 different illnesses that can each require very different types of treatment. A correct and exact diagnosis is thus an absolute prerequisite for tailor-made treatment. We use a comprehensive range of most modern diagnostic methods for the wide variety of rheumatologic diseases. After attaining a clear diagnosis, the therapy can begin without delay so that the patient regains mobility again as soon as possible. The numerous choices in therapy are discussed with the patient to make an individual therapy plan. Only in this way can a best possible result and favourable relation between effect and side-effect be achieved. The Kerckhoff Clinic also maintains close contact to the many self-help organisations to give our patients extra support. Furthermore, we offer many further training sessions for our doctors and patients.

Range of treatment

Inflammatory conditions in the joints like:
Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasic arthritis, spinal problems (M. Bechterew), osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, reactive arthritis, arthritis in other disorders like metabolic disturbances (eg. gout, haemochromatosis, crystallarthropathy).

Autoimmune diseases of the tissue like:
systemic lupus erythematodis, sclerodermie, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, sj?gren syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, sharp syndrome, sarcoidosis.

Inflammatory vascular diseases like:
M. Wegener, polymyalgia rheumatica, termporalis, ChurgStrass syndrome, takayasu-arthritis, panarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyangitis, M. Behçet

Chronic mobility pain like:
fibromyalgia, degenerative disorders of the spine

Physical-medical field

The Rheumatology Unit sets great store in physiotherapy, enabling patients with rheumatism to be treated on a long term basis without medication. Our specially trained team of physiotherapists, experts in massage and ergotherapy use a whole complex range of modern techniques to facilitate the patient's movement. These measures include electrotherapy, underwater movement therapy, natural mud bath therapy and cold chamber.

Committed to science

Our aim is to put new results and therapies, like biological therapy with substances identical or similar to the body's own substances, or the removal of pathological protein substances by special filtration techniques (so-called aphaeresis) into practice promptly and effectively to alleviate the symptoms of the rheumatic patient. For this reason, the Kerckhoff Clinic works together closely with the famous Max Planck Institute and the universities of Hesse, and is actively involved with their progress.

Apart from improving treatment methods, the Kerckhoff Clinic attaches great importance to researching the causes of rheumatoid illnesses and cooperates with other research teams. In this context, the Kerckhoff Clinic's rheumatologists have already contributed extensively to the current level of knowledge about these complex illnesses through their important research. Furthermore, the Medical Director of the Rheumatology Unit and Clinical Immunology, Prof. Dr. Ulf Müller-Ladner is one of the renowned specialists in Germany in the field of rheumatic diseases. In order to make new medication available to our patients without delay, the Kerckhoff Clinic also participates in officially authorised national and international licensing studies for new medication.

Rheumatology therapy at the Kerckhoff Clinic

• Combined pharmacological therapy including biological substances
• Rheumatologic emergency
• Infusion therapy
• Puncture of joints and local therapy
• Arthrodesis of the synovium
• Apheresis
• Physiotherapy
• Ergotherapy
• Osteporosis therapy

Contact:

Department of Rheumatology und Clinical Immunology
Kerckhoff Clinic gGmbH
Secretary Prof. Dr. U. Müller-Ladner
Frau j. Marsteller
Tel.: +49 6032-996 0
Fax: +49 6032-996 2399
E-mail: rheumatologie@kerckhoff-klinik.de

Departmental manager of the physical medical and osteological unit:
Prof. Dr. Uwe Lange

The most modern diagnostic methods to measure bone density.