›In gynaecology, medicine and empathy combine to form a harmonious whole.‹
DR. MED. UNIV. ZDRAVKO VARAGIC, PH.D.
SPECIALIST IN BYNAECOLOGY AND OBSTRETRICS, SPECIALISING IN BREAST SURGERY
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Every diagnosis, particularly the diagnosis of a breast tumor, can shock a person and possibly completely change their previous life. It raises many questions:
What does this word actually mean?
What does it mean for me and my life?
What is the best thing I can do?
Anamnesis and, above all, mutual understanding, clear, and clarifying communication are particularly important in such a situation.
Breast cancer is the most common tumor in women, but it also occurs in men on rare occasions. Due to the complexity of the disease and the many different therapy options, a medical and therapeutic team from different specialities is highly valuable to optimally support patients.
The Breast Competence Center at ATOMOS Clinic Währing offers a comprehensive therapeutic range.
Everything you need, from the first anamnesis and necessary diagnostics, through surgery and additional therapies, to aftercare, we conduct, organize for you, and remain your permanent contact beyond.
For the clarification as well as for the follow-up and control of breast cancer, laboratory medical examinations may be required. Blood samples can be taken between 9 am and 6 pm in our outpatient center. Your blood values will be available to us after a few hours. Of course, you can also have the blood taken at a laboratory institute of your choice and bring the findings with you.
Patients of the ATOMOS Klinik Währing receive a recommendation for targeted diagnostics, as well as corresponding therapy suggestions after their initial consultation. Our medical cooperation partners from oncology, radiology, pathology, and radiation therapy discuss and advise with our surgical team each patient in her individual situation in a tumor board. If you need to attend appointments or further therapies in other facilities, ATOMOS Clinic Währing will always stand by your side as the center of trust.
Our partner for radiological imaging is the Radiology Center at Lazarettgasse 25. There, you can either undergo extended diagnostics on the same or the following day with our referral, or, if you prefer, at a radiology center of your choice.
Since the best therapy recommendation can only be made by involving all aspects of the relevant specialist areas, our Breast Competence Center has what is called a tumor board. This is a regular meeting of distinguished experts from the fields of BREAST SURGERY, ONCOLOGY, RADIOTHERAPY, RADIOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY. Thus, the experience of all mentioned specialist areas flows into the therapy recommendation for you.
It is important for us to emphasize that the results of our tumor boards are only recommendations for you. Since the decision for cancer therapy is always very personal and individual, you always have the last word, and you have our promise that we will always act in accordance with your will. This also applies if you decide completely or partially against our therapy recommendation. Regardless of the therapeutic path you choose, the team of our Breast Competence Center is at your side and accompanies you as long as you wish.
Approximately 70% of all surgeries related to breast cancer can be performed while preserving the breast. Through the use of oncoplastic methods, meaning a combination of plastic surgery and conventional breast cancer surgery from a single source, complete breast removals can increasingly be avoided. If it is necessary to remove the entire breast, a breast reconstruction can usually be carried out during the same operation (immediate reconstruction). Also, the restoration of the breast in a later operation (delayed reconstruction) is generally possible. The reconstruction of the breast can be done either with a breast implant or with autologous tissue.
In principle, all surgeries related to the surgical removal of tumors in the breast can be performed under general anesthesia in one of our state-of-the-art operating rooms. You should bring a firm support bra into the operating room. The operation lasts about 90 minutes, in the case of immediate reconstruction also longer. After the operation, the team of our recovery room will take care of you until you are fit enough to be brought to our ward. The stay in our clinic is 24 hours, in any case one night. If radiological markings are necessary before the operation, you will receive them the day before the operation or on the day of the operation at the Radiology Center.
After 10 days of physical rest (not lifting more than 5 kg, firm support bra worn during the day), it is usually possible to resume normal activities in full. For operations with immediate reconstruction, physical rest should last 8 weeks.
Depending on the type of tumor, chemotherapy in addition to surgical removal may be advisable. In most cases, it is recommended to perform chemotherapy before the operation. Another therapy form that is frequently used is anti-hormone therapy, which reduces the effect of the body’s own hormones that can stimulate the growth of tumor tissue.
For therapeutic radiation after surgery, we collaborate with the Vienna General Hospital (AKH Wien). Our contact person, Prof. Dr. Kauer-Dorner, will be happy to advise you in detail about your options and personally take care of your well-being during your stay with her team.
Even after the treatment has been completed, the team of the Breast Competence Center remains at your disposal. Especially for
In addition to the conventionally established therapies, you can also take advantage of complementary treatments with us. We are aware that body, soul, and spirit in humans are closely interwoven, and the transitions often also flow smoothly. These therapies primarily address your soul and spirit and can strengthen you in your individual experience of the situation and psychosocial well-being.
BODY,
SOUL, AND
SPIRIT
This includes psycho-oncological and psychotherapeutic care in our center, but also coaching conversations, acupuncture, and homeopathy.
We generally recommend the complementary treatment of your disease with the above therapy methods but will, of course, be happy to advise you on this at our first meeting.
DR. MED.
FELIX REIMER
Dr. med. Felix Reimer is an internist and long-time general practitioner with extensive experience in accompanying patients both in palliative therapy, as well as for elderly patients and also for dying patients (also additional diploma in geriatrics and palliative medicine). Even if you do not wish to take advantage of the classic therapies or if the physical healing of cancer is no longer possible with conventional therapy procedures, the therapy and support of our patients is far from over. In this case, you can be advised and treated on an outpatient basis by Dr. Reimer at our facility.