Endocrinology
Welcome to Stellenbosch University

​Division of Endocrinology

Services

  • A full range of endocrine services with a major patient referral basis from Western Cape, Eastern Cape and as far away as Namibia.
  • HPCSA accredited training site for internal medicine registrars and sub-specialty accreditation in endocrinology.
  • Original clinical research and international contract research
  • Our division has a special clinical interest in:
    • Pituitary disease
    • Gestational Diabetes
    • Obesity
    • Osteoporosis
    • Neuroendocrine Tumours
    • ​Thyroid disease

Inpatient services:

  • The Endocrine Unit has 12 dedicated beds for the admission and workup of patients with diabetes mellitus or other endocrinopathies.
  • ​We have a close relationship with colleagues from other departments including Neurosurgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Endocrine surgery and Nuclear Medicine, Human Genetics and offer patients a comprehensive assessment as inpatient.​
  • ​We have access to dietetic services for the inpatient dietary assessment of all patients with DM. In addition we offer a dedicated diabetes education program to patients, and a full multidisciplinary assessment, including dentistry.

Outpatient clinics:

  • Type 1 diabetes mellitus clinic (weekly)
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus clinic (weekly)​
  • ​Post-partum diabetes clinic (twice a month)​
  • Obesity clinic (weekly)​
  • New and urgent General Endocrinology clinic (weekly)​

Metabolic Bone Services

  • ​​Bone Densitometry: The Division offers a DXA imaging service for hospital as well as clinical trial patients. (DXA is the only reliable and reproducible method to evaluate bone mineral density in patients and is an essential part of the diagnostic workup of osteoporosis patients.) 
  • The Bone Density (DXA) Facility in the Endocrine Unit provides an extensive service to numerous departments within this hospital and to secondary hospitals in the Western Cape. 
  • We are equipped to do lumbar spine, hip and forearm bone mineral density measurements as well as lateral vertebral assessments. 
  • Total body composition measurements are also available at our facility. 
  • We are trained to do small animal bone mineral density and body composition scans. 
  • Contract and academic research projects involving animal and human bone mineral density and body composition measurements make use of our facility

Obesity management

  • ​​Tygerberg Hospital is the only academic hospital in the Western Cape with a multidisciplinary team dedicated to assessment and care for patients with obesity evaluated for bariatric (metabolic) surgery.
  • We have a monthly theatre list where patients undergo RYGB or Sleeve gastrectomy.
  • Patients are followed up in the endocrine OPD post-operatively 
  • This program will be escalated in the near future​​