Luebeck (Germany)

The Hanse-Klinik is a private clinic specialized in liposuction. It was founded in 2002 in Luebeck, to offer high quality treatment by liposuction with the most modern standards available.

Prof. Dr. Wilfried Schmeller and Dr. Ilka Meier-Vollrath are both dermatologists with surgical background. Beside clinical treatment of patients from several countries they do research in lipoedema, write articles, hold lectures and organize congresses regularly.

Prof. Dr. W. Schmeller
Dr. Ilka Meier-Vollrath
Hanse-Klinik
St.-Juergen-Ring 66
D – 23564 Lübeck

Tel. ++49 – 451 – 50 27 20

FAX: ++49 – 451 – 50 27 219

email: info@hanse-klinik.com

Facts about lipoedema

Liposuction in lipoedema

Patients with lipoedema: frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is the best way to get in contact?

If you write an email we will send you two questionnaires concerning your general health and your specific complaints. If you complete them and send them back to us with photos of your legs (from the front, the back, and each side), we get a first impression of your case. Then we will inform you, if surgery is possible and how many operations would be necessary.

What are the prices for liposuction?

In most cases liposuction is required from the waist down to the ankles; then we have to perform 4 operations in order to achieve an optimal result. The first session usually includes the hips and outer part of the thighs, the second the inner sides of the thighs including the knees, the third the front part of the thighs (sometimes together with the back part of the thighs) and the fourth the calves.

The costs for the first two surgeries would be 4550,- Euro, for the third 3300,- Euro (or 4550,- Euro) and for the fourth again 4550,- Euro.

In addition there is 255,- Euro for the compression-garment (one garment may last for 1 or 2 sessions) and 160,- Euro for each stay overnight in our clinic.

Before surgery a consultation (75,- Euro) in our clinic is necessary. We examine your legs, will talk about all problems which might occur and can tell you, how many sessions are required. If you do not bring the required blood values with you, the blood-testing will be performed here (34,- Euro).

When can I be operated?

In case we have clarified all points by email or phone and there are no objections, it is possible to combine the consultation with the first liposuction. Then you would have to arrive in Luebeck one day prior to surgery for the consultation.

Where can I stay the night before surgery?

Prior to surgery you can either stay in our clinic or in a nice and cheap hotel (Traveller-Hotel www.traveller-hotel.de), two minutes from our clinic.

What happens after surgery?

You will spend one night in our clinic; the bandages have to be changed every few hours during the first day because the rest of the local anaesthesia leaks from the tiny incisions. The next morning we check your legs again, then you can take a shower. Afterwards our nurses apply new bandages and you can leave. For the first two to three days it is necessary to wear and change these bandages; then the leakage usually stops by itself. The compression garment has to be worn for 4 weeks following surgery.

When can I leave the clinic?

On the day after surgery it is usually no problem to travel home by car, train or plane. Hamburg airport is about an hour away; we can organize a taxi transfer to Lübeck and back if requested. Furthermore Lübeck has a small airport where Ryan Air (www.ryanair.com) offers cheap flights to and from several destinations in UK, Italy, Sweden, Spain and other countries.

What has to be done at home?

As aftercare we recommend manual lymphatic drainage to help your body reduce the postoperative swelling, which normally occurs 7 to 10 days following surgery. In some cases this may be quite strong, but it becomes less within a few days. During the following weeks there is a scar formation and the skin will be indurated and a bit numb. This will pass completely and you will see a distinct improvement from week to week.

How can I reach you after surgery?

You can contact us at the clinic during the week. At the weekends and in the evening you can reach us over mobile phone. In case any problems arise which we can not clarify by telephone or email, it would be good if you have a physician at home you could contact.

When can the next operation(s) be done?

It is not possible to perform several interventions in one week; we can only do one liposuction per month, because your body needs time to recover from surgery: the tissue has to get used to the removal of sometimes several litres of fat, the anaesthesia has to be eliminated, the unvisible wound underneath your skin has to heal, haematomas have to be resolved and a scar has to develop, so the skin-laxity following surgery is compensated. Lymphatic drainage will lessen the postoperative swelling, especially in the inner thighs and the lower legs and will soften your indurations.

Usually our patients recover fairly quickly from surgery, but still you need about 7 to 10 days, until the "worst part" is over. So in case you are working, take about 3 to 7 days off.