Department of Adult and Pediatric Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Foot Surgery - Nuremberg Hospital

About the Department of Adult and Pediatric Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Foot Surgery at Nuremberg Hospital

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Foot Surgery at the Nuremberg Hospital offers diagnostics and effective treatment of the full range of musculoskeletal diseases, including traumatic injuries. The department's team of doctors also specializes in the treatment of foot pathologies and deformities. The department houses the maximum care Joint Replacement Center certified by the German Society for Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery (DGOOC). The key focus of the center's work is knee and hip replacement surgery. When performing joint replacement surgery, the specialists use modern, low-traumatic techniques and high-quality regional anesthesia for pain management and rapid recovery in the postoperative period. The department's doctors also have vast experience in arthroscopic knee surgery. Musculoskeletal injuries are treated at the center certified by the German Trauma Society (DGU). The team of pediatric orthopedists successfully deals with the conservative and surgical treatment of pathologies of bones, joints, and muscles in young patients. The department's technical equipment meets the strict standards of advanced medicine, which, combined with the professionalism of the physicians and comfortable infrastructure, forms a solid basis for providing high-quality medical care. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Hermann Josef Bail.

The department offers the services of a highly specialized Joint Replacement Center, whose specialists regularly perform successful knee and hip arthroplasty. The surgeons also perform revision joint replacement surgery. Almost all arthroplasty procedures are performed using modern minimally traumatic techniques, thanks to which the integrity of the muscular-ligamentous apparatus can be preserved. Recovery after such operations takes a matter of days, and many patients are on their feet on the day of arthroplasty. The operating rooms at the center are equipped with state-of-the-art computer navigation systems, with the help of which surgeons achieve optimal positioning of the prosthesis, which guarantees its long-term service life. Custom-made knee and hip joint prostheses are also available if required. Another benefit for patients is the use of the very latest regional anesthesia techniques, which ensure adequate pain management while significantly reducing the load on the body as compared to general anesthesia.

An important focus of the department's orthopedists is knee arthroscopy. The specialists most often perform arthroscopic meniscal sutures, meniscal transplants, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, cartilage transplants, and cartilage microfracture surgery. The department also performs autologous chondrocyte implantation, which is nowadays an innovative procedure for knee arthrosis treatment. The technique involves a two-stage procedure: harvesting the patient's own cartilage cells (chondrocytes), followed by their processing in laboratory conditions, and then injecting the obtained biological material into the affected knee joint using arthroscopic techniques. Autologous chondrocyte implantation has proven to be effective, often helping patients in the early stages of knee arthrosis avoid joint replacement surgery. This treatment method is offered only at a few progressive medical facilities in Europe because it requires special laboratory equipment and the professional training of doctors.

The department's team of trauma surgeons admits patients within a specialized center certified in accordance with the requirements of the German Trauma Society (DGU). The center provides modern treatment of bone fractures and soft tissue injuries of the musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, and ligaments). The specialists at the center have vast experience in the treatment of severe and multiple injuries. The clinic has a helipad, thanks to which a patient can be delivered here as quickly as possible for urgent medical care.

The department also admits young patients with orthopedic diseases and musculoskeletal injuries. Pediatric orthopedists have in their arsenal many effective conservative and surgical treatments for hip dysplasia, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, patellar dislocation, flat feet, spinal deformities, spinal fractures, etc. The specialists give preference to conservative therapy, while surgery is considered the last-line treatment and is resorted to when other therapeutic options have been exhausted. When elaborating a treatment regimen, the age of the child is always taken into account because it is important for doctors to provide young patients not only with effective treatment but also ensure the normal development of their growing bodies.

The department's main clinical activities include:

• Adult orthopedics
  • Joint replacement surgery
    • Partial and total knee and hip joint replacement surgery, including the implantation of custom-made prostheses
    • Revision surgery for the replacement of previously implanted knee and hip joint prostheses
    • Treatment of complications after joint replacement surgery (for example, infections, prosthesis damage or instability, or pain)
    • Corrective osteotomy
  • Arthroscopic knee surgery
    • Arthroscopic meniscal sutures
    • Meniscal transplants
    • Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery
    • Cartilage transplants
    • Cartilage microfracture surgery
    • Autologous chondrocyte implantation
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of chronic non-healing wounds on the lower limbs
• Pediatric orthopedics
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of hip dysplasia
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of patellar dislocations
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of flat feet
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of spinal deformities
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of spinal fractures
• Trauma surgery
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of bone fractures and soft tissue injuries of the musculoskeletal system, including especially complex and multiple injuries
• Foot surgery
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of all foot and ankle injuries, including their complications
  • Surgical repair of hallux valgus and other toe deformities, including hammer toes, claw toes, etc.
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of degenerative changes in the ankle joint
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of pathological tendon lesions
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of inflammatory foot lesions and chronic wounds
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of diabetic foot syndrome
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of Charcot foot
• Other medical services