Department of Foot Surgery - Schlosspark Hospital Berlin

About the Department of Foot Surgery at Schlosspark Hospital Berlin

The Department of Foot Surgery at the Schlosspark Hospital Berlin offers counseling, diagnostics, and conservative and surgical treatment of the full range of foot diseases and deformities. The department's team of surgeons specializes in repairing foot deformities, including hallux valgus, hallux rigidus, hammer toes, exostoses, and heel spurs. The department also has successful experience in the treatment of Morton's neuroma. All surgical interventions on the foot and ankle joints are performed in well-equipped operating rooms in strict compliance with international surgical standards. The department's specialists prefer minimally invasive and microsurgical techniques. Comprehensive consultations and X-ray diagnosis are carried out prior to treatment in order to determine the optimal therapeutic approach. The medical team aims to provide patients with high-quality medical care and improve their quality of life, as foot pain often restricts movement function.

The department is headed by Dr. med. Cornelius Salich. The doctor's qualifications and successful clinical practice allowed the specialist to be certified as a medical expert by the German Society for Foot and Ankle Surgery (GFFC). Dr. med. Cornelius Salich has over 30 years of successful clinical practice in foot surgery. The specialist is highly respected in the professional medical community and ranks among the top German doctors in the field of his competence, according to patient reviews.

Hallux valgus is one of the most common foot deformities. This pathology causes outward deviations from the first toe, which results in metatarsophalangeal joint arthritis and deformity of the remaining toes. The main manifestation of hallux valgus is foot and ankle pain. As the deformity progresses, problems such as callosity and ingrown toenails may occur. Patients may have complexes about the unattractive appearance of their feet and have difficulties finding suitable footwear. When seeking medical attention for the early stages of hallux valgus, the patient has a chance to avoid surgery and get rid of the deformity with the help of conservative treatment. As a rule, a conservative treatment regimen includes footwear selection, wearing orthopedic insoles, using corrective bandages, massage, therapeutic exercises, and physiotherapy procedures. In the event of the ineffectiveness of conservative therapy and the persistence of severe pain, the department's doctors recommend the patient undergo a reconstructive surgical procedure called an osteotomy. Thanks to the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques, the patient's recovery in the postoperative period is rapid. As early as 3 weeks after the intervention, the patient returns to their usual way of life.

An important area of work for the department's surgeons is also repairing hammer toes. Hammer toe deformity primarily affects the second, third, and fourth toes, or one of them. In the case of this deformity, the toes take a bent position resembling a hammer. In most cases, the deformity is a consequence of complex forms of flatfoot. Patients with hammer toes experience pain that intensifies as the condition progresses, making it difficult to walk. In addition, the deformity impairs the aesthetics of the foot, so patients cannot wear open or fashionable shoes. The department's doctors often resort to surgical repair of hammer toes because conservative therapy can only relieve pain temporarily while the deformity continues to progress, making surgery inevitable in the future. The optimal type of surgery is determined based on the particular clinical case. Doctors may perform reconstructive plastic surgery or an osteotomy. All such operations are performed in the department using minimally invasive techniques, so the risk of complications is negligible, and the patient can get out of bed on the day of the surgical intervention.

The department's doctors have unique professional skills in the treatment of Morton's neuroma, which is a benign foot nerve sheath thickening caused by fibrous tissue overgrowth. The first-line treatment for this condition is conservative therapy, which involves wearing comfortable and spacious low-heeled or specialized orthopedic shoes and using orthopedic insoles and metatarsal pads. Physiotherapy is an integral part of conservative treatment. In addition, the patient is treated with medications to alleviate pain and suppress inflammation. If conservative therapy does not give the desired result, the patient is indicated for surgery. The main surgical techniques for treating Morton's neuroma are neoplasm resection or dissection of the intermetatarsal ligament. The latter surgical procedure is considered more sparing. Both operations are performed using minimally invasive techniques on an outpatient basis.

The department's key clinical focuses include:

• Surgical repair for hallux valgus
• Surgical repair for hallux rigidus
• Surgical repair for hammer toes
• Surgical repair for exostoses
• Surgical repair for Morton's neuroma
• Surgical repair for heel spurs
• Surgical repair for other foot diseases and deformities