Diagnosis and conservative treatment in ankle arthritis in Marien Hospital Duesseldorf

About the department

The Department of Traumatology, Hand and Foot Surgery at the Marien Hospital Duesseldorf offers comprehensive diagnostics of the musculoskeletal system, as well as conservative and surgical treatment of bone fractures and lesions of the large joints. The department also provides medical care to patients with various diseases and malformations of the hand and foot. Of particular interest to the department's medical team is the treatment of bone fractures, as well as hip, knee and shoulder arthroplasty. The specialists of the medical facility also have successful experience in performing arthroscopic interventions on the large joints. Surgical treatment takes place in high-tech operating rooms with equipment for performing modern minimally invasive interventions that contribute to the patient's speedy recovery and his return to normal life. The treatment regimen is developed on an individual basis and conservative treatment options are considered first. If the patient still requires surgery, the most sparing type of intervention is selected. The department is headed by Dr. med. Albrecht Pilz.

The department's specialists have been treating bone fractures of varying severity for many years. The medical facility provides high-quality medical care to patients with fractures of the lower leg, forearm and shoulder, femur, as well as lumbar spine and pelvic fractures. The treatment of traumatic brain injuries is also within the competence of the doctors of the medical facility. The specialists have both conservative and surgical treatment methods in their arsenal. In most cases, the department's doctors resort to conservative methods. However, they also use advanced surgical techniques and modern implants to provide effective treatment of fractures. Such an approach allows the patient to avoid serious consequences, including muscle atrophy or limited joint mobility. The optimal type of therapy is prescribed by the attending physician, based on the specific type of injury, its severity and the patient's general health status.

Joint replacement surgery is an integral part of the department's clinical activities. The team of doctors of the medical facility performs operations for partial or total replacement of the knee, hip and shoulder joints. The main indication for arthroplasty is arthrosis (joint degeneration), which causes limited mobility and severe pain. The replacement of the joint with a prosthesis allows restoring normal mobility without pain, so that the patient can return to his usual lifestyle. The department's medical team works only with high-quality prostheses, the service life of which reaches 20 years. The advantage for the department's patient is the fact that arthroplasty is performed with the use of minimally invasive techniques – to form a surgical approach, the doctor makes several small incisions through which mini instruments and a video camera are inserted to transmit images of the surgical field to the monitor screen. When performing hip replacement surgery, the very latest navigation systems are also often used, which allow the prosthesis to be placed as accurately as possible.

The department also offers modern arthroscopic interventions on the knee and shoulder joints. The technique has been successfully used to eliminate such pathological changes as shoulder and knee fractures, including their consequences, shoulder instability, rotator cuff tear, shoulder impingement syndrome, meniscus tears, knee cartilage injuries, cruciate ligament tears, etc. Arthroscopic procedures can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Such interventions are characterized by minimal trauma rate, so the patient does not need a long recovery after the completion of treatment.

The department also deals with the treatment of patients with hand injuries and diseases. The doctors specialize in the treatment of trigger fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome, ganglion, tendovaginitis, Dupuytren's contracture, finger joint stiffness. As a rule, patients with hand pathologies require surgical intervention. The operation is followed by all the necessary therapeutic manipulations to restore the mobility of the hand.

The department's therapeutic options are complemented by foot surgery. The specialists of the medical facility successfully perform operations for the repair of Hallux valgus, hammer and claw toes, nail bed plastic surgery and other interventions. Minimally invasive surgical techniques are usually used, so the duration of hospital stay is as short as possible.

The department's clinical focuses include:

• Conservative and surgical treatment of bone fractures
  • Fractures of the lower leg, including the upper part of the ankle joint
  • Femur fractures
  • Shoulder and forearm fractures
  • Lumbar spine and pelvic fractures
  • Traumatic brain injuries
• Knee, hip and shoulder arthroplasty
• Arthroscopic surgery
  • Arthroscopic interventions on the knee joint
    • Knee fractures and their consequences
    • Meniscus tears
    • Intra-articular cartilage injuries
    • Cruciate ligament injuries
  • Arthroscopic interventions on the shoulder joint
    • Shoulder fractures and their consequences
    • Shoulder instability after dislocation
    • Tendon ruptures (rotator cuff, biceps)
    • Shoulder impingement syndrome
    • Subacromial degenerative shoulder diseases
• Hand surgery
  • Compression syndromes (for example, carpal tunnel syndrome)
  • Trigger fingers
  • Ganglion
  • Tendovaginitis
  • Dupuytren's contracture
  • Finger joint stiffness
• Foot surgery
  • Hallux valgus
  • Toe rigidity 
  • Metatarsal pain
  • Hammer and claw toes
  • Foot pain
  • Nail bed injuries
• Other medical services

Photo of the doctor: (c) Marien Hospital Düsseldorf