I was diagnosed with multiple symptomatic uterine fibroids (the largest one was 7 cm) and was not satisfied with my first OB-GYN surgeon's verdict that I would likely have to have a hysterectomy. I came across Dr. Hornemann's name on the list of Germany's leading experts in surgical gynecology while searching for a second opinion. I came to the first appointment with Dr. Hornemann at the Ethianum Clinic armed with Google knowledge, undermined trust in doctors and determination not to part with my uterus. Within the first several minutes of the consultation, my husband and I were both convinced that Dr. Hornemann would be the best doctor for my case. I had every single of my many questions answered competently. Dr. Hornemann's thorough analysis of risks and benefits of all the options available to me left no doubt as to what the best course of action for my case should be. A video of a laparoscopic myomectomy from one of Dr. Hornemann's earlier operations, as gruesome as it was, gave me a good idea of what my surgery would be, as well as convinced me that my procedure would be safe. I set my surgery date on the spot. On the day of the operation, Dr. Hornemann greeted my husband and me in my hospital room and inquired about my well-being. He called my husband immediately after the operation and gave him a brief report on how my surgery went. So, shortly after I woke up from anesthesia, I already had enough information about my procedure. Dr. Hornemann stopped by to check on me soon after the operation, and I got to see him I believe three times the next day. Dr. Hornemann came in on Saturday to do another examination and to discharge me from the hospital after two nights as planned. A personal phone call on Sunday to see how I was doing on my first day at home was a pleasant surprise. I was reminded many times that I was welcome to contact Dr. Hornemann at any point. My recovery has been nothing short of a miracle to me, but I know it is thanks to Dr. Hornemann's skill and perfectionism that I bounced back to my normal (and improved) life at the shortest time possible. Other than some moderate abdominal pain due to CO2 movements on the first night after the surgery (easily controlled by medication), I had none of the reported symptoms associated with laparoscopic myomectomy. I only lost about 200 ml of blood, which is impressive for a 2.5-hour surgery, and did not have any postoperative anemia. I was also spared any headaches or nausea and all my bodily functions started right away. I was off pain-killers on day 4 and did my grocery shopping on day 5. A week after, I was comfortable enough to resume my doctoral studies, forgetting most of the times that I just had a major surgery. Talk about "minimally invasive"! The icing on the cake - my abdomen is no longer bloated and I feel lighter overall. I am yet to see the long-term effects of my procedure, but at this point all I can say is I wish I had had this surgery with Dr. Hornemann earlier! The entire process has been very transparent: I got a full written report of my surgery, and, yes, even got to see the video of my surgery. Dr. Hornemann was also efficient and proactive about miscellaneous admin issues related to the surgery, such as insurance and advance paperwork for my employer. No funny business with charges either. As my German is not good enough to discuss complex medical issues, I relied on Dr. Hornemann's perfect English, and there was not a single instance of miscommunication or misunderstanding. My main takeaway from this experience is that it is the 21st century and hysterectomy should not be the default solution for symptomatic fibroids. Neither does it have to take weeks to recover from such surgeries. If you feel that the best your OB-GYN surgeon offers is an abdominal hysterectomy, do your research and seek the second, third, etc. opinion. You may still end up having to have a hysterectomy but you will know that it is due to your diagnosis and not your surgeon's lack of familiarity with innovative methods or skill to perform more complex procedures. If possible, schedule your consultation and procedure with Dr. Hornemann at the Ethianum Clinic. It is a perfect combination of a knowledgeable and skillful surgeon and a caring doctor and the hospital that does not spare expenses on the state-of-the-art innovations. Thank you, Dr. Hornemann and Ethianum team! read more