International patients who wish to undergo surgery

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

In order to select the best treatment option for you, a personal consultation and examination with

Dr. Haase or Dr. Jacob is always necessary.

Therefore, unfortunately we do not offer online or telephone consultations.

Operations are only performed by highly specialized specialists in our practice clinic. We perform most operations professionally in our own operating room as outpatient operations without an overnight stay in a clinic.

Depending on the indication, the operations can be performed under local anesthesia or under general anesthesia with an experienced anesthetist. Laparoscopic procedures for inguinal hernias are performed at the “Klinik Schöneberg” hospital in the heart of Berlin

.

Operations under local anesthesia:

• Foot surgery, skin surgery, hand surgery, pilonidal sinus surgery. 
• Proctological operations such as anal tags, anal polyps or Rafaelo surgery for internal hemorrhoids.

 Surgical procedure under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis:

• Umbilical Hernia (Suture, PUMP, IPOM) and open Inguinal Hernia Surgery (Shouldice, Lichtenstein)
• Proctological surgery for anal fissures, anal fistulas or haemorrhoids.
• Pilonidal sinus with major findings

 Surgical procedure under general anesthesia on an inpatient basis:

• Laparoscopic hernia surgery (TAPP)

All appointments for an initial consultation can be conveniently booked online via our online appointment calendar DOCTOLIB under “international patient”.

• If you have any complaints regarding hernias or proctological conditions, please contact our chief physician, Dr. Dietmar Jacob. As a certified proctologist and European hernia surgeon, you can trust him to provide you with expert advice.

• For orthopedic complaints and osteoarthritis, as well as skin conditions that require surgery, please book an appointment with Dr. Nina Haase, who has extensive experience and expertise as chief physician for orthopedics.

• If you are unable to book an appointment via DOCTOLIB, please send an email to op@copv.berlin. We will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss the next steps.

• Both Dr. Haase and Dr. Jacob speak English very well. You will not need an interpreter. Dr. Haase also speaks Italian. For all other languages, please bring an interpreter with you, as we are unable to provide one.

Clinical diagnosis and experience in the field are more important than any technical examination. We can therefore diagnose most diseases through a thorough physical examination and supplementary ultrasound examination. 

If specific questions arise, we can perform an MRI examination within one day. 

If we recommend surgery, it can be performed during our operating hours. Dr. Haase and Dr. Jacob always operate on Wednesdays under local anesthesia, and Dr. Jacob operates on Thursdays under general anesthesia.

Please note: In Germany, the consultation regarding a planned operation must take place at least 24 hours before the procedure. Without this consultation with personal information provided by a doctor, we are not permitted to perform any procedures. Therefore, no procedures can be performed on the day of the initial consultation (Patient Rights Act in Germany).

We have two locations in western Berlin.

Our practice in Berlin-Zehlendorf is where Dr. Jacob holds his consultations. This is where the initial examination takes place. 

Our second practice is in Berlin-Steglitz, where Dr. Haase holds her consultations and treatments. This is also where our operating room is located. 

Both practices are easily accessible by public transportation or car. Further information can be found here.

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 principle, there are no fixed rules as to when patients are allowed to fly again after surgery. It depends greatly on the type of procedure, the wound (sutured or open), and the flight time.

Flight suitability also depends on symptoms such as pain, optimal wound healing without complications, and patient mobility. For flights lasting more than 2 hours, it is advisable to wait longer. The type of anesthesia used is not decisive in this regard.

Therefore, we can only make our own recommendations. 

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

If it is not possible to make an initial appointment via Doctolib, or if you would like to contact us before visiting, please note the following:

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 the 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.