>> According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 15.4 million operations were carried out in hospitals in this country last year. According to studies by the Rhenish-Westphalian Institute for Economic Research, there was an increase of 14 percent in orthopedic procedures alone in four years. In the case of cardiac operations, the figure was even 17 percent - and only the severe cases were weighted. Part of these increases can certainly be explained by the aging of society. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 42 percent of operations are on seniors. The most common treatments in the over 65 age group include intestinal operations, the insertion of an artificial hip joint and endoscopic procedures on the bile. In contrast, joint operations and the meniscus play the largest role in 45 to 64 year olds.
Of course, there are cases in which surgery is absolutely necessary. “The current statistics show that operations are carried out too early and too often in German clinics,” says Katrin Bremora, specialist in care management at Deutsche BKK. Especially in operations that are not essential to life, or elective procedures, it is often useful to inform the patient about the cause of the disease and increase their compliance. But when is an operation necessary and when is it not? Patients are overwhelmed when assessing this question. In this situation, it is therefore essential to have an experienced statement from another doctor or team of doctors. The point is to ensure that the therapy to be initiated is really necessary - or to carefully weigh up alternatives. A second opinion is particularly appropriate for cancer diagnoses, back operations, orthopedic procedures, but also for heart or degenerative diseases.

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