Clinical Services
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Medical Departments
Dr Ahmed Vachiat
Prof Pravin Manga
Prof Richard Nethononda
Dr Thomas Kalk
Dr Bridgette Bertelsmann
Dr Despina Demopoulos
Dr John Tilley
Dr Joubert Steynberg
Dr Linda Doedens
Dr Marelize Reynders
Dr Mark Eagar
Dr Victoria Stephen
Prof A Wade
Dr B Merwitz
Dr C Adams
Prof J Wing
Geriatric Medicine is the treatment of the elderly and is a highly specialised medical area with only eight registered Geriatricians in South Africa.
Our Sub-specialist Geriatric Medicine unit has been part of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre since 2007. The unit provides comprehensive geriatric assessments and assists patients in the management of various complex physical and cognitive problems associated with the frail older person.
We also advise our patients on the importance of the successful ageing concept for less frail people, who tend to be more healthy and strong.
The Unit is currently headed by Dr Brent Tipping.
The WDGMC Geriatrics Unit also practices from a state service basis at the Helen Joseph Hospital.
Unit Contact Details:
011 356 6389
011 726 0003
011 726 0002
Dr A Pillay
Dr D Rodseth
Dr N Veyej
Prof U Subramaney
Pulmonology is the medical specialty dealing with disease involving the respiratory tract.
Dr G Schleicher
Dr L Brand
Dr K Dudgeon
Dr V Naidoo
Allied Healthcare
Audiology is the branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Its practitioners treat those with hearing loss and proactively prevent related damage.
A Speech/Language Therapist assists in the promotion of normal communication, as well as the identification, prevention, treatment and management of a variety of developmental or acquired speech, language and oral disorders.
Dieticians are experts in food and nutrition. They advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health related goal.
Ms A Van der Merwe
Ms A Lang
Ms G Landau
Ms I Van der Walt
Ms M Bauermeister
Ms M Coetzee
Mr A Essop
Mr M Makda
Ms N Duff
Mr P Mafojane
Parktown Physiotherapy
Mr T K Mofokeng
Dr Jonita Ntlhaile
Mr P Matthee
Auxiliary Services
Krause, Fourie and Associates are a Clinical Genetics team belonging to the Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand (https://www.wits.ac.za/pathology/divisions/human-genetics). The team consists of medical geneticists and genetic counsellors who offer consultations to patients and their families regarding genetic conditions. Medical Geneticists are medical doctors who have specialised in the field of medical genetics. Genetic counsellors are allied healthcare professionals trained at the Masters degree level and registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
During a typical genetic consultation, a family history assessment is performed, information pertaining to the suspected or confirmed condition (including the inheritance pattern, risks of recurrence, and management) is provided, and possible genetic testing options are discussed. A consultation with a medical geneticist will also usually include a physical examination. Depending on the nature of the referral, either a medical geneticist or genetic counsellor will provide a genetic consultation.
The WDGMC Endoscopy Unit is a specially designed out-patient department. It provides a pleasant and efficient environment for endoscopic procedures without the need for hospital admission.
Doctors from different specialities including gastroenterology and surgery work within the department. A number of different procedures can be performed including gastroscopies, colonoscopies, endoscopic ultrasound, double balloon endoscopy and PEGs (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies).
Therapeutic procedures including variceal banding, dilatations, polypectomies, fine needle aspirations, banding of haemoirrhoids and faecal transplantations are also performed.
Colorectal Cancer ScreeningFAQ'sWhat is screening?
Screening is the performing of tests to diagnose a disease or identify patients at high risk of developing a disease before a patient presents with symptoms
Why screen for colorectal cancer?
If we wait until a patient has symptoms of colorectal cancer the disease is often in a late stage where the treatment options are limited and survival is poor. The aim of screening is to pick up the disease either in the pre-malignant stage (i.e. before cancer has developed) or in the early stages where treatment can be curative and survival extremely good.
Who should be screened?
All patients over the age of 50 should be screened for colorectal cancer. In families with a history of cancer the screening should start 10years prior to the youngest affected family member. In some rare inherited conditions screening can start as early as the teenage years.
No one in my family has colon cancer. Do I still need to be screened?
80% of all cancers diagnosed are in patients with NO family history. So the advice to screen applies to everyone irrespective of family history.
How is screening done?
There are a number of different options available for screening. These include faecal occult blood (FOB) testing (testing your stool for the presence of blood) and colonoscopy. Other modalities for example barium enemas and CT colonography are not recommended as standard screening options but may be used in certain circumstances. You should discuss the pros and cons of the different options with your general practitioner or gastroenterologist.
How often should I be screened?
This depends on the type of screening you select, the findings of those investigations and a number of other factors – this should be discussed with your health care provider. A general rule of thumb is every year for FOB testing and sometimes only once every 10 years with colonoscopy - depending on a number of factors which your doctor should discuss with you.
Does screening for colon cancer really work?
In the USA where screening has been performed for over 10years the incidence rate of colorectal cancer has dropped dramatically. This has been attributed to screening which in the USA is mainly in the form of colonoscopy.
Unit Contact Details:
011 356 6141
011 356 6143
Surgical Departments
Dr B Strobele
Dr F van der Schyff
Prof J Loveland
Dr K Kinandu
Dr S Rambarran
Dr Z Khan
Dr D Le Roux
Dr I Grant
Prof J Pillai
Dr L Mogase
Dr P Mistry
Prof A Adam
Dr M Barmania
Dr P Harden
Dr T Kasapato
Paediatrics
Dr M Beretta
Dr S Berkenfeld
Dr C Levy
- The Peads Oncology Unit Is A Comprehensive Unit Taking Care Of All Aspects Of A Child’s Healing Process
- Booked Paediatric Day Cases Are Done In The Day Clinic
- Pre-Admission Visitations By Parents Are Welcomed To Explain The Admission Process Of Day Cases And Normal Admission.
- No Soft Toys Or Fresh Flowers Are Allowed In The Unit
- Children Under The Age Of 12 Yrs Are Not Allowed To Visit Patients In Isolation Or On Chemotherapy
- Daily Paediatric Oncology Out Patient Department Available For Consultation With The Unit Oncologist
Dr B Goodwin
Dr B Rowe
Dr D MacKinnon
Prof G Naidu
Prof J Poole
Prof J Geel
Dr K Bennett
Dr M Bassingthwaighte
Dr N Beringer
Dr N Sigedle
Dr R Schwyzer
Imaging Services
DGMC Radiology provides cutting-edge diagnostic and interventional radiology services, combining advanced imaging technology with expert clinical care.
The comprehensive diagnostic services on offer include high-resolution MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, and fluoroscopy.
The interventional radiology department offers advanced, minimally invasive treatments for a variety conditions, including complex liver diseases and tumours not amenable to more traditional surgical management.
Radiology Department Contact number: 011 726 4340 / 011 356 6004
Website: www.dgmcradiology.co.za
Prof C Libhaber
Dr K Purbhoo
Dr L Louw
Prof W Vangu
Specialised Units
Colorectal Surgery is a field in medicine dealing with disorders of the colon, rectum, anus and pelvic floor.
Established in 2010, the WDGMC Colorectal Unit offers world-class care to patients with the full spectrum of colorectal disorders. Our interests include colorectal cancer, pelvic floor dysfunction, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), laparoscopic colorectal surgery and proctology.
The WDGMC Colorectal Unit is led by a group of dedicated colorectal surgeons and is comprised of a diverse team of health professionals. This team includes gastroenterologists, physicians, radiologists, oncologists, pathologists, enterostomal therapists, physiotherapists and dieticians. This collaborative approach to patient treatment supports the intent of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre - to practice multi-disciplinary care in an academic, patient-centred environment.
The Unit’s colorectal surgeons are: Dr Brendan Bebington, Dr Dean Lutrin and Professor Julien Oettle. The Unit is an accredited training unit and has a full time fellow (qualified surgeon undergoing sub-specialist training in Colorectal Surgery and Surgical Gastroenterology )and registrar (qualified doctor undergoing specialist surgical training in General Surgery) attached to it who are involved in all aspects of patient care.
Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching as well as clinical research are critical activities of the Unit.
The Intensive Care and High Care Unit of the WDGMC offers the highest standard of care and support to complicated elective surgical and critically ill patients.
In this specialized multi-disciplinary facility the ICU has developed into a world class unit experienced in managing specific conditions and has become the preferred referral facility for solid organ transplantation, managing complex gastroenterology and hepato-biliary pathology and treating end stage liver disease.
The ICU also provides a pre-operative assessment clinic where patients are screened, counseled and optimized before their elective surgery.
The unit is run as a closed unit by Dr. G K Schleicher, a specialist physician and pulmonologist and is supported by two specialist physicians and a specialist anaesthetist, all three having completed their training in ICU care at the WDGMC.
The team further consists of medical officers, a rotating group of registrars (specialists-in-training) from the departments of medicine and anaesthesia, microbiologists, clinical pharmacists, dieticians and physiotherapists. The care of the patients lies in the hands of highly trained and experienced nurses under the leadership of Sr. Lynn le Roux and Sr. Vanessa Moodley.
Pulmonology is the medical specialty dealing with disease involving the respiratory tract.
Intensive Care Unit
011 356 6150
011 356 6150
High Care Unit
011 356 6135
011 356 6135
- The Peads Oncology Unit Is A Comprehensive Unit Taking Care Of All Aspects Of A Child’s Healing Process
- Booked Paediatric Day Cases Are Done In The Day Clinic
- Pre-Admission Visitations By Parents Are Welcomed To Explain The Admission Process Of Day Cases And Normal Admission.
- No Soft Toys Or Fresh Flowers Are Allowed In The Unit
- Children Under The Age Of 12 Yrs Are Not Allowed To Visit Patients In Isolation Or On Chemotherapy
- Daily Paediatric Oncology Out Patient Department Available For Consultation With The Unit Oncologist
WDGMC’s Transplant Unit has established itself as a leading centre in liver, kidney and simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation.
The Unit is led by Professor Jean Botha and Professor Russell Britz who, through their pioneering transplant surgeries, are transforming the South African organ transplant landscape. Currently, this is the only Transplant Unit doing living donor liver transplantation and pancreatic transplantation in Southern Africa.
In striving to promote and develop the discipline of organ transplantation in South Africa, the Unit is able to successfully transplant solid organs in both children and adults. The Unit specialises in liver, kidney and pancreas transplants.
Transplant Network Group
All transplant patients and persons waiting for a transplant can join the group. The group meets every 3rdSaturday of the month.
Unit Contact Details:
Tel: 011 356 6488
Fax: 011 482 1170
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