FAQ

Here you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions.

A lumbar or cerebrospinal fluid puncture is performed to obtain cerebrospinal fluid ("spinal fluid"). An examination of the cerebrospinal fluid may be necessary for diagnostic or therapeutic reasons and is often required in neurology to clarify various diseases. In a lumbar puncture, a needle is inserted between two vertebral bodies and a few ml of cerebrospinal fluid is extracted. Since there is already no spinal cord here, no injury to the spinal cord can occur.

In the case of memory disorders, certain values are examined, which are altered in certain forms of dementia. Alzheimer's disease, for example, has a characteristic cerebrospinal fluid finding, so that the puncture helps to confirm the suspected diagnosis. But the examination is also helpful in other diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Huntington's disease.

The puncture itself is a routine examination which is performed daily in our clinic with a lot of experience.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Before the examination you will receive an information sheet and will be personally informed by a doctor.

Outpatient treatment

The first presentation of the patient should be made through one of our outpatient clinics. Here, the doctor will make an initial assessment in a conversation and a clinical-neurological examination and, if necessary, screening tests. Whether inpatient treatment is necessary is decided in this first contact, and the next steps are discussed with the patient.

Then an appointment is made for inpatient admission.

After the inpatient admission, there will be another appointment to discuss the findings. If a finding worthy of treatment or observation should have arisen, there are further control appointments in the outpatient clinic after arrangement.

Inpatient treatment

The inpatient admission takes place after an initial assessment by the outpatient physician. To clarify the suspected diagnosis, further, sometimes more extensive examinations are necessary. This will take place during a shorter inpatient stay with us. The results of the examinations will either be discussed directly with the patient or, if the results are still outstanding and for the final consultation, an appointment will be made in our outpatient clinic during the stay. The examinations are the basis for further outpatient therapy.

New active ingredients have to be tested extensively in order to guarantee the efficacy, safety and security of a new drug. This is done within the framework of clinical studies.

Clinical studies are essential to improve medical care. Patients who participate in such studies have the chance to be treated with innovative therapies earlier than others.

Clinical studies are subject to clear legal regulations. All studies conducted in Germany must be approved by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) or the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI). Both authorities are subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Health. In addition, these studies must be approved by the responsible ethics committee.

Further information on clinical studies can be found on the website of the VfA (Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies)

You can watch an explanatory film about clinical studies here

Further information on our current studies can be found here