Care of patients

There are 36 beds available in our department (34 two-bed-rooms, 2 one-bed-rooms for isolation purposes; bath-/restrooms are integrated in each bed-room; wards: G2.1/F2.2). In particular we are taking care of patients with any form of acute or chronic renal failure, of tranplanted patients and patients with autoimmune diseases and kidney problems.

In addition, we take care of patients who require dialysis treatment on a regular basis and patients with different, transplantation-related problems in the long run. Further, we offer a complete clinical evaluation of transplantation candidates and persons who want to donate a kidney. Examinations will be performed within a week. In order to be able to arrange all clinical appointments we need to know about a candidate at least a week in advance.

Our inpatient care program invloves diagnostics using every known and established examination / test procedure (lab work on blood, urine; kidney biopsies, sonography including Doppler sonography etc.).

We conduct our kidney biopsies in the Center for Sonography using a sophisticated ultrasound-guided procedure. Annually we perform about 100 biopsies on a regular basis or in emergency cases, respectively. Induction and application of any therapy will be performed based on the most recent guidelines. The aftercare of patients is ensured by our out-patient department, by our dialysis center or in collaboration with the transferring practitioner.

Furthermore, we are sought partners for all specialties within our hospital. Within the frame of our work as consultants we are furthermore a sought partner for all questions regarding kidney disorders.

Medical care on our ward

From time to time we are asked for our medical care on our ward. In general, our junior house officers are taking care of our patients. Our assistants are looked after by a senior nephrologist together with the chief of our division. Each new admission is seen together for the first time on the day of admission. Each decision is met. There are ward rounds on every day led by our assistants. In addition, we have two bigger ward rounds a week led by our senior nephrologists. Patients can refer to our doctors (including the chief of division) 24-7. We are not only dealing with patient-related issues but are also grateful for advice and critics in order to improve our work further.

Visiting hours

The main part of our work and the organisational stuff take place in the morning. In order to not disturb our processes patients can be visited after 3.30 pm (in general). In exceptional cases appointments can be arranged earlier or 24 - 7, respectively. In case relatives have questions for our doctors we recommend to ask them in the afternoon.

In general our doctors are available 24 - 7. Our ward is taken care of from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm by our own medical team. Outside this time frame and on the weekends there is an on-call service available. However, those doctors do not always come from our medical team.

​In our out-patient department we take care of patients who still require a continuous ambulatory care following the clinical discharge or of patients who were initially referred to us from external doctors. Further, we care for our transplanted patients.

Our main areas of ambulatory care:

• General nephrologic outpatient clinic (particularly for patients who require a continuous ambulatory care due to a kidney problem or for patients who were referred to us by external practitioners)
• Dialysis center (hemodialysis)
• CAPD unit (peritoneal dialysis)
• KfH transplantation unit (aftercare for transplanted patients)
• Life donor clinic (evaluation consultation-hour for a life donation procedure)

General nephrologic outpatient clinic

Here we perform diagnostics and therapy of kidney disorders and hypertension from the very beginning. For those purposes our most experienced nephrologists are at your disposal. Besides the evaluation and therapy of primary or secondary forms of hypertension diagnostics and therapy of specific nephrologic disorders are another focus of our work. Autoimmune diseases (i.e. systemic lupus erythematosus), vasculitis (particularly Wegener's granulomatosis), and glomerulonephritis are taken care of here. In addition, hereditary kidney disorders (i.e. ADPKD) and disturbances of the electrolyte balance are also part of our profile.

There is a particular advantage of our general nephrologic consultation-hour. Since we are part of our university hospital we can offer you the service of all other specialties of our hospital right away.

The care of patients who permanently require hemodialysis treatment and the transplantation out-patient clinic

Besides the physiological decline of renal function as time passes by, the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes (usually and wrongly called "diabetes of the elderly") and an inadequately treated arterial hypertension cause and promote the progression of chronic kidney failure. Early recognition and a consequent therapy of the disease are most important in this regard.

The Kuratorium für Dialyse und Nierentransplantation e.V. (KfH), found in 1969, has been a forerunner and pacemaker for an excellent care of chronically-ill kidney patients in Germany.

​Our dialysis unit offers you highly professional and personalized dialysis treatment. We aim to make your treatment and care as comfortable as possible. If you decide to stay on vacation in Leipzig we offer our convenient guest dialysis service.
Guest dialysis treatment is offered by our out-patient dialysis center.

Dialysis hours

Regular dialysis treatment takes place from 7.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) and from 7.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (on Saturdays; two shifts per day).

Each form of dialysis including hemodiafiltration (HDF) is available at our unit. Individual treatment appointments can be made. Outside our regular hours we do not offer dialysis on a regular basis. However, in emergency cases our on-call nephrologist can be reached 24/7.

Bring-in forms:

• Before your arrival we request recent tests for HIV, hepatitis B and C (within the past 3 months). Hepatitis C positive patients can be treated at our unit.
• We further request a recent (within the past 2 weeks) test for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and (within the past 1 month) test for Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE).
• You must bring your own medications, including EPO, i.v. iron, and vitamin D.
• A recent case history letter from your doctor including your personalized dialysis protocol is further required (can be faxed to us: +49 (0)341 - 97 13189).

If you are interested in guest dialysis you can contact us between 7.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) and from 7.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (on Saturdays; tel.: +49 (0)341 - 97 13174).

Parking

There are parking lots in front of our dialysis center. However, those spots are highly frequented. We recommend to give us a call for available parking lots before you come to our center. Very close to us there is also a parking garage which is not free of charge.