For Our Patients
Our Services
All information about the specific services provided by our clinical departments can be found directly on the respective department’s page.
Interdisciplinary Surgical Day Clinic
With 23 beds, the Interdisciplinary Surgical Day Clinic at LKH-University Hospital Graz is the largest day clinic in Central Europe. It has been in operation since December 1, 2017.
Ten surgical specialties join forces to perform procedures under local anesthesia as well as general anesthesia. The following departments are involved:
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine
- Division of General Surgery
- Division of Vascular Surgery
- Division of Cardiac Surgery
- Division of Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgery
- Division of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery
- Division of Transplant Surgery
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
- Department of Urology
Day clinics are an international trend in modern healthcare. In such settings, admission, surgery, recovery, and discharge all take place on the same day. This approach allows for greater comfort and efficiency, particularly for minor surgical procedures.
After surgery, patients can rest in recovery rooms and return home the same evening. The highest standards of patient safety are ensured: in case of unexpected events or complications, immediate medical care is available on site. If necessary, inpatient admission can be arranged at any time.
Intensive Care Units
Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are specialized hospital areas where patients are treated following serious injuries, major surgical procedures, or life-threatening conditions.
At University Hospital Graz, the surgical intensive care units care for their patients according to holistic, resource-oriented principles, based on structured nursing models. This approach is combined with the highest level of technical and staff-intensive care.
The primary focus lies in the monitoring of vital signs and laboratory parameters, as well as the support or replacement of organ functions (e.g., respiration, excretion, etc.).
When, despite maximum medical and nursing efforts, healing or supportive care is no longer possible, the focus shifts to enabling and supporting a dignified end of life.
Staff are challenged both professionally and emotionally. According to current legislation, ICU nurses must complete a one-year intensive care specialization program within five years to ensure and expand their professional expertise.
Despite the unfamiliar and technical environment, our goal is to offer patients a sense of safety and security, and to assist with maintaining contact with loved ones.
Please do not hesitate to speak with our staff if you have any questions—we welcome your feedback and suggestions.
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Visiting hours and contact information for relatives
ICU 2
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
+43 316 385-83228
ICU 3
1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
+43 316 385-81227
Heart Transplant ICU C
2:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
+43 316 385-30756
Heart Transplant ICU D
2:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
+43 316 385-31243
Interdisciplinary Surgical High Dependency Unit
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
+43 316 385-81229
Cardiac Surgery Monitoring Unit
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
+43 316 385-80237
Surgical Areas
In the 17 operating rooms of the University Department of Surgery, patients are cared for and supported by a multidisciplinary team consisting of surgeons, anesthesiologists, anesthesia nurses, and the operating room (OR) nursing team.
Composition of the OR Nursing Team
- Operating room registered nurses (OR-RNs)
- Surgical assistants
- Supply assistants
- Cleaning and transport staff
Responsibilities of the OR Nursing Team
The OR team is responsible for receiving patients using the preoperative safety checklist. It also performs the planning, preparation, and setup of the operating room and all required equipment, including instruments, devices, and materials.
Once the checklist is completed and clearance is given, the patient is brought into the OR, positioned on the operating table in collaboration with the entire team (OR staff, anesthesiologists, anesthesia nurses, and surgeons). After final positioning and verification by the surgeon, the sterile scrub nurse carries out skin disinfection and sterile draping of the surgical field.
Before the procedure begins, a team time-out is performed with all present team members, based on the checklist, to ensure optimal patient safety and care. The main role of the sterile scrub nurse during surgery is to manage the sterile instruments. This is supported by the non-sterile circulating nurse and surgical assistants.After the procedure, the patient is cared for by the team, safely transferred out of the OR, and moved to the next unit. The team also handles documentation, instrument reprocessing, and the final disinfection of the operating theatre.
IC Premium Wards 1 and 2
At the Special Class Ward of the University Department of Surgery, we offer our patients state-of-the-art medical care, high-level nursing expertise, and accommodation of hotel standard.
Medical Care
You can benefit from the full range of our university hospital’s expertise in collaboration with the physician of your choice. The most advanced diagnostic facilities are available 24 hours a day.
Specialists from all medical disciplines are on hand to ensure your well-being at any time. Should surgical or intensive care be required, treatment is provided around the clock in accordance with the latest scientific standards.
If you have questions or specific needs, our senior ward physician is available Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to assist you.
Nursing Care
On our ward, we are committed to the principle: people caring for people.
A team of highly trained nursing professionals looks after your physical and emotional well-being. Especially in times of recovery, it is our top priority to provide you with expert care of the highest standard. Regular training and continued education ensure top-quality nursing care.
Accommodation
All special class rooms are equipped with private shower and toilet. Each patient has access to a flat-screen TV, radio, refrigerator, and a telephone at the bedside. For the duration of your stay, we also provide you with a toiletry set and a bathrobe.
Cuisine
A balanced, nutrient-rich diet plays a key role in physical, mental, and emotional well-being and greatly contributes to your recovery. You may choose from three different daily menus. If you require a special diet, our kitchen is happy to accommodate your needs. If needed, a personal consultation with one of our dietitians can be arranged. Your diet plan can be precisely tailored to your medical condition.
Beverages such as apple juice, orange juice, tea, and coffee, as well as yogurt and fruit, are available throughout the day as light snacks.
Nutritional Management
Nutrition – An Essential Part of Comprehensive Therapy
Integrating nutrition into the overall surgical treatment plan is a key component of perioperative management. In collaboration with the medical team, clinical dietitians develop individualized nutritional therapy concepts to ensure optimal patient care.
Preoperative Nutrition
Before major surgeries—particularly in oncology—disease-related weight loss and the risk of malnutrition must be carefully addressed.
Patients who are severely malnourished face a significantly higher risk of postoperative complications. These patients should receive targeted nutritional support, including individualized calorie and nutrient enrichment, prior to surgery.
To minimize fasting time, it is now standard practice to allow a light, easily digestible meal up to six hours, and clear fluids up to two hours before the procedure.
Postoperative Nutrition
Depending on the type of surgery, nutritional therapy plays a crucial role in recovery. An early initiation of oral or enteral feeding helps to maintain intestinal function and immune defense. The body must be adequately supplied with nutrients to support wound healing, recovery, and overall quality of life.
Discharge and Follow-up
During hospitalization, dietetic support may be necessary. Before discharge, patients who require ongoing support receive individualized nutritional recommendations from our clinical dietitians for their care at home.
The dietitians of the Nutrition Service have developed, in collaboration with the Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, a guide titled: "Perioperative Nutritional Management" A clinical reference for nutrition in surgical care.
In the context of surgical care—particularly in general, visceral, and transplant surgery—the integration of nutritional support into the overall treatment plan is a crucial factor in achieving high-quality outcomes.
Prior to major operations, especially tumor surgeries and transplant procedures, malnutrition and disease-related weight loss must be carefully evaluated, as such patients face a significantly higher risk of complications. For this reason, the implementation of a structured nutritional regimen before surgery is strongly recommended. In the postoperative phase, it is equally essential to ensure the body receives adequate nutritional support to promote rapid recovery, proper wound healing, and optimal quality of life.
Managing the complex nutritional demands surrounding surgery requires a multidisciplinary team approach. Leading medical societies agree that perioperative nutritional protocols play a key role in improving treatment outcomes.
At University Hospital Graz, the Nutrition Service, in close collaboration with the Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery has developed standardized perioperative nutrition algorithms.
Based on current scientific literature, the expertise of dietitians and surgeons has been consolidated in a clinical handbook entitled:
"Perioperative Nutritional Management – How We Do It" (ISBN 978-3-200-06752-3).
This publication serves as a practical guide for perioperative nutrition in abdominal surgery and includes 15 clinical algorithms covering the full range of abdominal surgical care
The collaborative development of this handbook highlights the importance of close cooperation between dietetics and surgery, and stands as a best-practice example of interdisciplinary implementation of effective nutritional therapy.
Occupational Therapy
The goal of occupational therapy is to preserve or improve the greatest possible level of independence and quality of life in the everyday lives of our patients. This is achieved through:
- Regaining lost abilities
- Enhancing and maintaining existing abilities and using them to their full potential
- Developing compensatory strategies in cases of functional loss
- Active and passive mobilization
- Hand function training: dexterity, muscle strength, coordination, stability, endurance, and grasp patterns
- Functional and task-oriented training to improve activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Splinting: positioning splints, dynamic splints, flexion and extension splints, functional substitute orthoses
- Edema management and scar treatment
- Sensory re-education, graded motor imagery, and mirror therapy
- Motor-functional therapy, with a special focus on arm and hand function
- Sensory-perceptual therapy
- Neuropsychological and cognitive therapy
- Sensory stimulation: targeted tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular input; promotion of superficial and deep sensation
- Movement initiation and mobilization
- Sensorimotor training: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, strength, coordination
- Assessment and training of neuropsychological and cognitive functions: planning, concentration, memory, attention, spatial abilities
- Assistive device provision and training:
- dressing aids
- adapted cutlery
- toilet seat risers
- reachers/grabbers
- personal hygiene aids
- Self-care training: dressing and undressing, personal hygiene, eating, and daily living activities
- Consultations: joint protection, ergonomics, home adaptations, and workplace modifications
- Mirror therapy: for movement initiation after stroke, or for pain relief in patients with amputations or chronic pain
Speech and Language Therapy
Our speech and language therapy team focuses primarily on the assessment and treatment of:
- Tracheostomy management
- Swallowing disorders (dysphagia)
- Voice disorders (dysphonia)
- Facial paralysis (facial nerve palsy)
- Language and speech disorders
We provide care for patients in intensive care units, intermediate care units, and general wards.
We Are Here for You
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Auenbruggerplatz 29, 8036 Graz
Physical Therapy
As a shared service of the University Department of Surgery, our physiotherapy team provides care for patients from:
- All clinical divisions of the Department of Surgery
- The Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery
- The Department of Urology
- The inpatient wards of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine
In addition, physiotherapy services are provided through our Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic and in various interdisciplinary areas, such as the Pain Clinic and Occupational Health Promotion programs.
Our physiotherapists apply a wide range of movement- and respiratory therapy techniques, methods, and concepts.
The goal is to maintain or restore physical function and to prevent dysfunction, helping patients regain independence and manage daily life after their hospital stay.
We Are Here for You
Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036 Graz
Lower Ground Floor
Telefon: +43 316 385-12443
Fax: +43 316 385-16857