I apologize for
writing in English, but this enables me to express myself better. I have been
operated 4 times in Wallensteinklinik for the large abscess and consequential
anal fistulas (and fistula recidives).
If you just google around a bit, you will find that fistula treatment
is still an area where contemporary medicine has not achieved
a satisfactory state, i.e. methods for fistula treatment are far from
providing a sure 1-time success. Treatments are painful, healing not
certain, and suffering can last for years.
One of the relatively newer methods which is considered beneficial comparing to
the conventional surgical procedures is the laser treatment. Dr. Koc
at Wallensteinklinik applies it. The advantage of the method is that fistula
tract gets burned from the inside, which results in better and faster healing,
and it requires less invasive procedure in general (less cutting is needed).
Beside this particular detail, the remaining work which dr. Koc does belongs to
the area of standard (conventional) medicine (for instance, closing the fistula
opening with mucosal flap). This means that post-operative time can still be
very painful, but is generally shorter comparing to the conventional
treatment so we don't talk about months, but weeks of postoperative
recovery.
About surgical qualities of dr. Koc I can only say good things - all the
surgical procedures he did in my case were done extremely well. I really felt
like I was treated by a surgeon which had golden hands. This is not just
my personal feeling, but has also been confirmed by secondary
proctologist/surgeon who inspected my condition later on. Let me just
quote his words (we talk about a surgeon working in a hospital which
in my country not Germany-
is highly appreciated for having good surgeons): the
surgeon who operated you really did an exemplary job.
Unfortunately, because of nature of fistulas (easy to re-appear, difficult to
locate, prognosis depends on the layout of the fistula tract), in my case it
took 4 consequent surgeries (done in a time span of 6 months) to achieve a
satisfactory state from surgical point of view. And here goes my first critic:
one of the tracts which was actually present from the beginning has been
located only in the 4th surgery, although it was even visible on the MRT
scan pictures which I did after the 2nd surgery, and which were available to
dr. Koc.
Teaching: even the best doctors are sometimes superficial, or just distracted
because of too much work, and can make mistakes for these reasons. In my case,
this mistake probably caused additional costs and yet another round
of pain and suffering.
Second critic would go to the Wallensteinklinik itself. Although personnel are
generally nice and they cook a good food, there were problems with visits which
I received. Both me and my girlfriend insisted that she'd be around in my
hospital room once I wake up from anesthesia, as long as it doesn't
clash with medical procedures. This wish of mine was not respected medical
staff (sisters) literally slammed door in front of my girlfriend's nose several
times, although I couldn't see any valid reason for this. Another
negative thing was that, for one of many post-operative checkups, I received a
bill charging me for ultrasound examination which didn't take place. After I
complained, they sent me a new bill without ultrasound costs, but they
suggested per telephone that actually the examination did take place, but they couldn't find
pictures to prove it (??), so they would forgive me the original bill. Now a brief
question after I spent xx xxx EUR in the clinic, and after my insurance
paid for everything (i.e. I had no personal costs at the end), would I really
deny an ultrasound examination just to save 100 EUR to my insurance?
Positive thing is that feedback was possible at the end of staying in
the clinic, I was offered a feedback form where I could write my critics and
praising. However, I have never received any response or explanation related to
the negative things which I wrote although I have been visiting the clinic
for many more months after the last operation.
The last (again negative) thing that I need to mention is dr. Koc's approach to
his own work. (I believe this egoistic component is a feature that most of
doctors possess, so it's not just about dr. Koc the problem is widely spread
around the world of conventional medicine.) After the 4th operation, things got
significantly better (as soon as the original hole which I mentioned was
closed) however it was still not perfect. I thought that some time was
needed, but even after one year still I had problems. All dr. Koc was able to
say was approximately it looks fine, you should see another
doctor. At the end, when I already changed the proctologist and when
the new doctor finally took out the non-resorbable sutures (germ. Faden) which
were still there and which were causing the remaining discomfort, the things
got completely OK.
Now I don't read more
