Department of Adult and Pediatric Orthopedics, Traumatology and Hand Surgery - HELIOS Clinic Krefeld

About the Department of Adult and Pediatric Orthopedics, Traumatology and Hand Surgery at HELIOS Clinic Krefeld

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Orthopedics, Traumatology and Hand Surgery at the HELIOS Clinic Krefeld offers the full spectrum in these medical focuses. The department specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all diseases of the musculoskeletal system in adults and children, trauma of any severity, including sports injuries, endoprosthetics, hand and foot surgery. The goal of the department's specialists is to effectively treat and restore the quality of patients’ lives. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Clayton Kraft.

The main focuses of the department include diagnosis and treatment of spinal diseases. The department has all the modern methods for conducting accurate diagnostics: radiography of the whole spine, CT, MRI, PET-CT of the spine, discography and myelography of the entire spine, neurological examinations (for example, examinations of nerve conduction velocity, electric excitation of muscles with alternating current), etc. After a comprehensive diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the best treatment. To date, many problems with the spine can be effectively eliminated with the help of conservative therapies. Nevertheless, in certain clinical situations, surgical intervention is required, for example, in case of a tumor, infection, fracture, instability, severe axial displacements. The department practices a variety of surgical techniques, ranging from minimally invasive and microsurgical interventions and ending up with complex reconstructive interventions on the spine. Much attention is paid to sparing minimally invasive and dynamic surgical techniques for the treatment of fractures, inflammations, nerve root and spinal cord compression, tumors and hernias of the intervertebral discs, which guarantee minimal risks and extremely rapid restoration of patient’s mobility.

The department also specializes in performing arthroscopic interventions, which are often used to treat many pathologies, including degenerative diseases and joint injuries. When performing these sparing operations, doctors use advanced tools, with which two small incisions in the joint region are made, and a special camera. Thus, the surgeon sees the entire surface of the joint on the screen and can perform the necessary manipulations to eliminate injuries or pathological changes.

In the field of endoprosthetics of special interest is the implantation of hip, knee, shoulder, elbow and ankle endoprostheses. In addition, there are performed many operations to replace endoprostheses and revision interventions. Preference is given to minimally invasive techniques. The specialists of the department use only high-quality endoprostheses from the world's leading manufacturers.

The next focus of the department is the treatment of foot diseases. Here are performed minor operations on the foot and toes, which aim to eliminate discomfort and improve functions, as well as operations for the treatment of severe foot injuries, congenital or acquired developmental defects and the consequences of accidents.

The department offers the full range of services in the field of hand surgery. It provides treatment of hand injuries of any severity, reimplantation and treatment of limitations caused by accidents. To ensure the most effective treatment, there are performed modern diagnostic tests, for example, conventional and dynamic X-ray tests, CT, MRI, three-phase scintigraphy of the skeletal bones, scintigraphy with labeled leukocytes to detect inflammation or degenerative diseases, electrophysiological tests to measure nerve conduction, muscle strength and other diagnostic examinations.

It should be noted that the medical team of the department has a unique experience in the treatment of orthopedic diseases in children and adolescents. To provide comprehensive treatment, there is maintained close cooperation with the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, the Social Pediatric Center, the Department of Pediatric Surgery and other departments of the clinic. For each young patient doctors select an individual treatment strategy according to the age, general health and clinical situation.

To completely restore mobility, eliminate and alleviate pain in adults and children, the department provides professional physiotherapy, ergotherapy, neurophysiological therapy.

The range of medical services of the department includes:

Spinal diseases

• Conservative therapy
  • Intensified pain therapy (intravenous and/or oral)
  • SpineMED (computerized distraction)
  • Ultrasound-guided nerve root blockade
  • Infiltration and sclerotherapy of painful vertebral joints (including facet joint thermocoagulation)
  • Sacroiliac joint infiltration
  • Neural therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Magnetic therapy (treatment by magnetic field)
  • Electrotherapy
  • Balneotherapy
  • Traction
  • Cryotherapy and heat therapy
  • Other treatments
• Surgical treatment
  • Microsurgical operations on the intervertebral discs of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine
  • Removal of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine (microsurgical method) followed by the implantation of prostheses
  • Facet joint denervation (endoscopic operation)
  • Expansion of intervertebral foramen (endoscopic operation) and removal of herniated intervertebral discs
  • Microsurgical treatment of spinal stenosis
  • Stabilization of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine (access from the back, chest, abdominal cavity)
  • Treatment of vertebral fractures with the introduction of bone cement by a minimally invasive method (kyphoplasty)
  • Osteosynthesis by Albee-Delbet with the correction of the spine, for example, in scoliosis or displaced vertebral bodies (spondylolisthesis)
  • Replacement of the vertebral body (also of several vertebrae with access from the front and back)
  • Operations to correct scoliosis in adults and children
  • Operations under the control of navigation systems
  • Other surgical interventions

Arthroscopic surgery

• Shoulder arthroscopy
  • Treatment of injuries and dislocations of the acromial extremity of clavicle
  • Treatment of calcifying tendonitis of the shoulder
  • Treatment of tendon ruptures
  • Shoulder stabilization in its dislocation and instability
  • Treatment of the "frozen shoulder" syndrome
  • Treatment of cartilage damages (in the early stages)
  • Treatment of other diseases
• Elbow arthroscopy
  • Treatment of elbow calcification 
  • Smoothing of the cartilage surface and treatment of cartilage damages
  • Stabilization of dislocated elbow
  • Treatment of elbow stiffness
  • Treatment of other diseases
  • Wrist arthroscopy
  • Smoothing of the cartilage surface and treatment of cartilage damages
  • Treating tendon ruptures
  • Treatment of adhesions and painless restoration of mobility
  • Treatment of other diseases
• Hip arthroscopy
  • Reconstruction in ligament and articular lip ruptures
  • Treatment of cartilage damages (in the early stages) to prevent joint replacement surgery
  • Smoothing of the hip bone tissue
  • Treatment of other diseases
• Knee arthroplasty
  • Treatment of rupture of the cruciate ligament and its replacement with endogenous tendons
  • Treatment of meniscus rupture by suturing or sparing partial resection
  • Elimination of cartilage defects by smoothing, cartilage or bone transplantation, cultivation and transplantation of endogenous cartilage cells
  • Elimination of patella problems
  • Treatment of other diseases
• Ankle arthroplasty
  • Cartilage smoothing and treatment of cartilage damages by transplanting patient's own cartilaginous cells
  • Treatment of necrosis and bone defects
  • Treatment of ankle stiffness
  • Treatment of other diseases

Endoprosthetics

• Surgery to replace hip, knee, shoulder, elbow and ankle 
• Operations to replace endoprostheses
• Revision joint surgery
• Minimally invasive interventions
• Other treatments

Traumatology

• Conservative treatment
  • Application of a cast
  • Intensive physiotherapy, lymphatic drainage
  • Intensified pain therapy
  • Other treatments
• Surgical treatment
  • Treatment of life-threatening multiple injuries
  • Wide range of osteosynthesis procedures for all bones
  • Surgical treatment of spinal injuries
  • Full range of minimally invasive arthroscopic interventions for the treatment of joint injuries (also sports ones)
  • Treatment of complex hand injuries
  • Reconstruction of tendons in the area of the arm and forearm
  • Other treatments

Foot diseases

• Conservative treatment
  • Consultations on the selection of the right shoes and insoles
  • Intensive physiotherapy, lymphatic drainage
  • Intensified pain therapy
  • Other treatments
• Surgical treatment
  • Differentiated and individual therapy concept for the treatment of hallux valgus
  • Correction of hammer-shaped, hook-shaped fingers and other toe deformities
  • Joint-preserving surgery and surgery to stabilize big toe arthrosis 
  • Ankle arthroscopy in degenerative diseases, such as rheumatism, arthritis, after accidents, etc.
  • Joint-preserving surgery and surgery to stabilize all all other joints of the foot and ankle
  • Decompression surgery for the treatment of heel spurs
  • Differentiated concept of therapy for pain in the metatarsal bone (for example, Morton's metatarsalgia)
  • Corrective surgery for congenital or acquired foot deformities (for example, flat feet, club foot, pointed or hollow foot)
  • Corrective surgery to eliminate the consequences of foot and ankle injuries after accidents
  • And other treatment methods

Hand surgery

• Conservative treatment
  • Intensive pain therapy
  • Intensive physiotherapy, lymphatic drainage
  • Other treatments
• Surgical treatment
  • Minimally invasive operations for the treatment of pain syndrome due to pinched nerve (carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, etc.)
  • Surgical treatment of Dupuytren's contracture
  • Surgical treatment of rhizarthrosis
  • Stabilizing and joint-preserving interventions on all joints of the hand and wrist joint
  • Wrist arthroscopy in degenerative diseases (for example, in rheumatism or arthritis)
  • Operations to treat tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
  • And other treatments

Bone and soft tissue septic surgery

• Treatment of acute and chronic bone infections (osteomyelitis)
• Restorative interventions for the treatment of extensive defects in tubular bones by lengthening
• Treatment of acute and chronic infections of the skin and soft tissues
• All interventions to correct defects (including free flap plastic surgery, microsurgical transplantation of the patient's own tissue)
• Sanitation for pseudoarthrosis caused by inflammation after bone fractures 
• Treatment of bone and soft tissues infections in diabetic foot syndrome
• Treatment of infections caused by multiresistant pathogens
• Treatment of chronic wounds
• Treatment of spinal inflammation (spondylitis/spondylodisitis)
• And other treatments 

Pediatric orthopedics

• Treatment of congenital and acquired foot deformities (including valgus foot, flat feet, pointed foot, hallux valgus, hallux varus congenitus, clubfoot)
• Conservative and surgical treatment of hip dysplasia and hip dislocation
• Treatment of the femoral head necrosis in children (Perthes disease) and displaced epiphysis of the femoral head
• Treatment of shortened lower extremities and axial disorders
• Treatment of spinal diseases
• Treatment of inflammatory joint changes, including rheumatic diseases
• Treatment of orthopedic diseases in congenital syndromes
• Treatment of orthopedic problems in adults caused by pediatric orthopedic diseases
• Corrective surgery for the improvement of statics in degenerative joint diseases
• And other treatments