International patients for operations

Dear patients,

Thank you for your interest in our practice COPV in Berlin.

We are a practice clinic in Berlin, specializing in the minimally invasive treatment of proctological diseases and abdominal wall hernias.

We only employ highly experienced specialists in surgery with additional specializations in visceral surgery and proctology to ensure professional and optimal treatment.

In order to choose the best treatment option for you, a personal consultation and examination is always necessary.

Therefore, we do not offer online consultations.

We offer surgery under local and general anesthesia in our practice.

Operations under local anesthesia:

Foot surgery, skin surgery, hand surgery, pilonidal sinus surgery, proctological

operations such as anal tags and anal polyps or Rafaelo surgery.

Surgery under general anesthesia:

Hernia surgery, proctological surgery for anal fissures, anal fistulas or haemorrhoids.

• All appointments for an initial consultation can be conveniently booked online with the relevant doctors via our Doctolib appointment calendar. There are different types of appointments for operations. Every doctor here speaks very good English.
• At least 24 hours before the operation, we conduct a detailed consultationwith the patient, which usually takes place on the day of the first appointment for operations under local anesthesia. We do not perform any operations without this discussion with a personal explanation by a doctor (Patients' Rights Act).

We perform outpatient surgery under local anesthesia every day at our practice in Steglitz. Except for blood-thinning medication and non-mobile patients, there are generally no restrictions for these procedures.

Patients do not need to be fasting on the day of the outpatient operation. It is even better for the circulation if you eat and drink before the procedure.

If possible, please wear dark clothing in case a wound becomes soaked. You are

welcome to take some music with you to distract you.

• After registering at our practice in Steglitz, we will accompany you to the changing room where you can get changed. You can lock your valuables in a locker.
• You will then be given a local anesthetic in the operating room, which will make the operation area pain-free after about 5 minutes. However, you will continue to feel pressure, warmth and cold.
• After the operation, which lasts between 10 and 30 minutes, we will accompany you to the recovery room where you can recover briefly. After pilonidal sinus surgery, you will need to lie on your back for approx. 20 minutes.
• You do not need to be picked up if you are under local anesthesia, and you are also allowed to drive.

We perform outpatient operations under general anesthesia with a very experienced anesthesiologist in our practice in Steglitz every Thursday. Patients must have good mobility and no risk factors such as blood-thinning medication or severe cardiopulmonary disease.

Your stay in our practice will be approximately 2 hours including admission, surgery and recovery.

• Before the operation, we conduct a detailed information session with the patient at a separate appointment, during which all important questions can be discussed. We do not perform any operations without this discussion. The presence of patients from Germany is mandatory.
• During the consultation, patients receive a surgical folder, which also contains the information sheet for anesthesia. This form must be completed and brought along on the day of the operation.
• For patients over 60 years of age, we require a small blood count and the TPZ value, whereby the values must not be older than 6 months.
• Our practice team will call all patients 3-6 days before the date of the operation to inform them of the time they will be present in the practice. Please be punctual and leave on time.
• Operations under general anesthesia only take place on Thursdays.
• According to German law, you must be picked up by a trusted person after an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia and must not be alone in your apartment or hotel room for the first night so that help can be called in the event of sudden unconsciousness.

The anesthesiologist usually call the patients 1-2 days before the day of the operation to clarify important details for the anesthesia. We therefore require a working cell phone number and availability.

The first follow-up appointment is the day after the operation in our practice. We will change the first

dressing and discuss wound care with you again. Of course you can ask us any important questions.

• Open wounds (abscess, proctology, pilonidal sinus): After the first dressing change, patients can rinse the open wounds with tap water twice a day and after every bowel movement (only for proctology). They can bathe at home with mild cleansers (e.g. Tannolact or Kamillosan). Public baths and saunas should only be used after the wound has healed.
• Closed wounds (hernia, hand and foot surgery, skin surgery): Dressings should be changed here. Afterwards, shower plasters can be used after consultation. If possible, a dressing should be worn for up to 10 days after the operation. Bathing and sauna sessions are possible 14 days after the operation.

The second follow-up appointment for open wounds and hernias is after approx. 4-5 days. If the wound

looks good, no complications are to be expected, so that a final check-up can only take place after 8-12

weeks.

However, if the patient has no complaints, this can also be dispensed with.

For wounds that have been sutured, we remove the stitches after approx. 10-12 days and explain the

histological findings if tissue has been removed and examined.

In the event of worsening wounds or increasing pain, you can visit our

practice from 09:00 to 16:00 or consulting us by e-mail

(op@copv.berlin). You get a phone number from us for emergencies

We are happy to offer you an outpatient operation in our practice clinic in Berlin.

For correct planning, we need your existing documents and, if necessary, photos for viewing the findings,

which you are welcome to send by e-mail to op@copv.berlin.

If we recommend surgery in our practice clinic after reviewing the documents, we will arrange an examination appointment with you by e-mail, including the planning of the operation and follow-up appointments. The appointment must be made at least 1 day before the operation.

Before each operation you will receive a cost estimate for the operation and follow-up care on the first day after the operation. The price may vary slightly due to fluctuating material costs (up to €100) and will be fixed on the day of the operation. The initial examination is not included in this cost estimate and is usually between €200 and €400, depending on the complexity of the examination.

Please note the following:

• The price stated in the cost estimate is binding and must be paid in full before the operation in our practice in cash or by credit card.
• We will not bill your insurance company, as we only have a treatment contract with you and not with your insurance company.
• Please clarify the reimbursement options with your insurance company before the operation, in particular up to which factor the costs will be reimbursed according to the German Medical Fee Schedule (GOÄ).
• Patients without German health insurance will be billed by us at 3.5-11 times the rate (factor) according to the GOÄ!
• The costs of any general anesthesia are not included in our price and will be billed separately by the anesthesiologists on the day of the operation.
• If you require a breakdown of the GOÄ figures, please inform us before the operation.
• An initial examination and information about the operation are not included in the cost estimate for the operation.
• Follow-up care on the first day after the operation is included in this price, further examinations thereafter must be paid for separately.

In Germany, it is a legal requirement that patients must be picked up by a trusted person after general anesthesia (no local anesthesia!). You are also not allowed to spend the first night after an operation alone at home to get help if necessary.

You are welcome to book an appointment with our doctors online. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT NOW