Department of Neurosurgery (228415)

Prof. Dr. med.

Christian Rainer Wirtz

Specialized in: neurosurgery

Specialization Curriculum vitae

About the Department of Neurosurgery at University Hospital Ulm

The Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Ulm offers the full range of surgical interventions for the treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. The department is one of the largest medical institutions of this kind in Germany. The doctors of the department provide patients with the high-quality medical care of university level, and also take an active part in the experimental fundamental studies and clinical trials to develop new treatment methods. The Chief Physician of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Christian Rainer Wirtz.

An important focus of the department’s clinical activities is the treatment of brain tumors. In this case, surgeons set a task to completely remove the tumor and preserve all the brain functions. The department applies modern methods of intraoperative imaging using magnetic resonance tomography, ultrasound and intraoperative monitoring (function monitoring using electrodes or probes). Thanks to this high-tech equipment, doctors have the opportunity to see the exact tumor size and resect it targetedly without damaging the adjacent brain regions. After the treatment, great attention is paid to the monitoring of surgery results, regular diagnostic examinations in order to avoid relapse.

The service range of the department includes:

Intraoperative imaging and neuromonitoring
Surgical treatment of brain tumors
- Gliomas
- Meningiomas
- Brain metastases
Treatment of traumatic brain injuries of varying severity (neurotraumatology)
Vascular neurosurgery (treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the vessels supplying the brain)
- Intracerebral hemorrhage
  - Installation of a drainage into the brain ventricle
  - Hemorrhage control with the help of microsurgical techniques
- Cerebral aneurysms
  - Coiling
  - Clipping
- Arteriovenous malformations
- Dural arteriovenous fistulas
  - Catheter procedures
  - Endovascular procedures
  - Surgical interventions
Spinal surgery
- Spinal disc herniation
- Spinal stenosis
- Lumbar instability due to the degenerative changes (spondylolisthesis)
- Inflammatory lesion of the spine (spondylodiscitis)
- Spinal fractures
- Vertebral fractures (kyphoplasty)
- Sacroiliac joint arthrosis
- Spinal cancer, including intraspinal tumors
Peripheral nerve surgery
- Treatment of peripheral nerve compression syndromes (for example, carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Peripheral nerve reconstructive surgery (for example, after injuries)
- Treatment of peripheral nerve tumors
Other medical services

Curriculum vitae of Prof. Dr. med. Christian Rainer Wirtz

1980 - 1986 Study of Human Medicine at the Rhine-Westphalian Technical Aachen University.
1992 Doctoral thesis defense and title of Doctor of Medicine, Rhine-Westphalian Technical Aachen University.

Professional Activity

1986 - 1987 One-year practice at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and at the University Hospital Aachen.
1989 Starting of work as the Assistant Physician/Research Fellow in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Heidelberg (Prof. Dr. med. S. Kunze).
1997 - 2005 Senior Physician in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Heidelberg.
2001 Habilitation. Subject: "Surgical interventions using imaging systems in neurosurgery. Neuronavigation and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging".
05.2005 Appointed as a Leading Senior Physician in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Heidelberg.
19.09.2006 Visiting Professor, Heidelberg University.
01.09.2009 Head of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Ulm.

Awards and Honors

2001 Educational prize of the Faculty of Medicine at the Heidelberg University.

Memberships

Since 2004, Deputy Head of the Scientific and Pedagogical Department at the Neurosurgical Academy of Education and Advanced Training of the German Society of Neurosurgery.
2001 Founding Member of the German Society for Computer- and Robot-Assisted Surgery (CURAC).

Main Research Focuses