Department of Pediatric Orthopedics and Orthopedic Neurology - Rummelsberg Hospital Schwarzenbruck

About the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics and Orthopedic Neurology at Rummelsberg Hospital Schwarzenbruck

The Department of Pediatric Orthopedics and Orthopedic Neurology at the Rummelsberg Hospital Schwarzenbruck provides the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services to young patients with congenital and acquired musculoskeletal diseases. The specialists are also competent in providing medical care for children and adolescents with neuro-orthopedic diseases, a group of pathologies in which bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons are affected due to disturbances in the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The medical facility is one of the few in Germany and beyond where young patients with complex neuro-orthopedic syndromes can undergo comprehensive treatment. The department has a progressive laboratory for 3D gait analysis. This laboratory is used for a complete assessment of the gait parameters of children with muscle diseases, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, juvenile parkinsonism, foot diseases, and hip pathologies. In addition, a specialized Center for Multiple Disabilities has been operating on the basis of the department since 2009. Medical services for young patients are provided both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Doctors provide conservative and surgical treatment, using only highly effective therapeutic methods. The treatment regimen is developed individually, taking into account the characteristics of the child's clinical case, his or her age, and other important factors. The Head Physician of the department is Dr. med. Michael Wachowsky.

The department's highly qualified team of orthopedists provides conservative and surgical treatment for musculoskeletal diseases in children of any complexity. Almost every day, the medical facility admits young patients with hip dysplasia, a pathology in which the formation of the joint in a child is disrupted. Without timely treatment, the disease will progress and may potentially cause a number of serious problems, such as pain, lameness, gait disorders, Perthes disease, early hip arthrosis, and even disability. However, with timely detection of hip dysplasia and appropriate treatment, the child's recovery is almost always guaranteed. The disease can be suspected during a routine checkup in the first few months of a child's life. An ultrasound scan is done to make a diagnosis. From the 9th month of life, X-ray scanning may also be indicated, including to assess the dynamics during the treatment process. The department's doctors have all the methods available in modern orthopedics for treating hip dysplasia in children. In most cases, conservative treatment with orthoses is sufficient (for example, a Pavlik harness or a Tübinger hip flexion splint can be used). It is also possible to correct the abnormal development of the hip joint using plaster casts. In some cases, conservative therapy is ineffective, especially when dysplasia is detected late (at the 6th month of life and later). Surgery is then the only treatment option in such cases: the department's specialists successfully perform open or closed reduction and osteotomy.

The department's specialists quite often deal with congenital clubfoot in children. This deformity is characterized by an inward deviation of the foot from the longitudinal axis of the lower leg. The pathology can be detected by ultrasound of the expectant mother at 8-12 weeks of pregnancy. Treatment should begin immediately after birth, in which case you can count on a successful result. If a child does not receive timely treatment, there is a potential risk of developing a disability in the future. The department's team of pediatric orthopedists most often provides conservative treatment using the Ponseti method. This involves applying a plaster cast every few days, followed by an achillotomy, a sparing surgical procedure to lengthen the Achilles tendon. The final stage of treatment for clubfoot in infants is wearing braces, which are an orthopedic device with shoes and a plastic or metal bar-shaped retainer. The construction helps fix the feet in a certain position to consolidate the effect of treatment using the Ponseti method.

The department has accumulated extensive experience in the treatment of other orthopedic conditions in children, in particular Perthes disease, congenital hip dislocation, juvenile femoral head epiphysiolysis, flat feet, O- and X-shaped leg deformities, scoliosis, kyphosis, torticollis, and congenital dislocation of the patella. The doctors in the department have all the necessary technical resources to examine a child suspected of having one of the above conditions and also have the in-depth knowledge and experience to develop the most effective treatment regimen. Conservative therapy is preferred whenever possible, but if the results of a preliminary diagnosis indicate that surgery is advisable, it is performed using minimally traumatic techniques. When planning the treatment tactics, the department's doctors always take into account the child's age and the characteristics of the musculoskeletal system at this age.

An integral part of the department's clinical practice is pediatric orthopedic neurology. The medical facility employs some of the best specialists in this field in Germany. The department offers treatment for a wide range of diseases: cerebral palsy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, lesions of the musculoskeletal system due to traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, hereditary spastic paraplegia, hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, and neuromuscular scoliosis. Medical care for children with the above diseases is provided jointly by orthopedists, neurologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and therapeutic physical therapy specialists. The goal of treatment is to improve motor function and achieve maximum independence in daily life. Young patients receive comprehensive treatment: the department's specialists use orthopedic devices and orthoses, drug therapy, botulinum toxin therapy to eliminate spasticity, minimally invasive surgical procedures, and modern physiotherapeutic treatment, including reflex locomotion and vibration therapy.

The department's range of medical services includes the following:

• Diagnostics and treatment of orthopedic diseases in children
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of hip dysplasia
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of congenital hip dislocation
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of juvenile femoral head epiphysiolysis
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of Perthes disease
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of congenital clubfoot
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of congenital and acquired flat feet
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of O- and X-shaped leg deformities
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of idiopathic scoliosis
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of torticollis
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of congenital dislocation of the patella
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of osteochondritis dissecans
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of benign bone tumors
• Diagnostics and treatment of neuro-orthopedic diseases in children
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of cerebral palsy
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of arthrogryposis
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of brain diseases with damage to the musculoskeletal system
    • Stroke
    • Multiple sclerosis
    • Epilepsy
    • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of spinal cord diseases with damage to the musculoskeletal system
    • Hereditary spastic paraplegia
    • Spina bifida with myelomeningocele
    • Neuromuscular scoliosis and neurogenic kyphosis
    • Spinal muscular dystrophy
    • Poliomyelitis
    • Spinocerebellar ataxia
  • Conservative and surgical treatment of diseases of the peripheral nervous system with damage to the musculoskeletal system
    • Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy
• Diagnostics and treatment of other diseases in children and adolescents