Orthopedics

Orthopedics deals with the bones, joints, ligaments and muscles in the body. It is often overlooked that the musculoskeletal system is a complex system consisting of many individual components. If a part falls ill or a functional disorder occurs, it is important to remedy it as early and efficiently as possible so that the entire skeletal system is not damaged in the end. At Clinic Bel Etage, experts from a wide range of orthopedic specialties work together. We offer the most modern and effective therapy methods and follow clear principles:

• Preserve tissue
• Restore movement
• Minimally invasive
• High quality implants

Minimally invasive surgery

Nowadays, many damages can be repaired in a minimally invasive way. Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to look inside the joint in question and repair the damage on the spot. Where a large incision in the knee was necessary in the past, meniscus damage or a cruciate ligament tear can now be repaired via two small incisions. Patients are quickly fit again and can be mobilized quickly. Such interventions are often offered on an outpatient basis. Technically, this is not a problem. The minimally invasive approach means that the wound heals quickly and blood loss is minimal. Nevertheless, we recommend that arthroscopic procedures also be performed on an inpatient basis. Especially the first 24-48 hours determine whether swelling and complications occur. Even if the approach is minimally invasive, the same work has to be done in depth as in open surgery.

Cartilage Transplantation for joint preservation

Our tissue engineers grow new cartilage cells and implant them endoscopically (Cartilage Transplantation – Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation ACT). After a few months, the cartilage is completely regenerated. This can prevent cartilage damage from requiring complete joint replacement. In the case of bone necrosis, too, materials are now available that, when inserted in a minimally invasive manner, optimally stabilize the bone again. In the spine, fractures can be stabilized with bone cement or silicone (elastoplasty). With the help of balloons, collapsed vertebral bodies can even be straightened again if the treatment is carried out in good time.

Joint replacement for more mobility

Unfortunately, people often wait too long, so that many minimally invasive techniques are no longer possible. In these cases, the joint must be replaced. In addition to the total endoprosthesis, in which the entire joint is replaced, there is also the possibility of performing only a partial replacement (sled prosthesis at the knee). The replacement of a hip used to be a major and very invasive procedure. At Clinic Bel Etage, the gentle anterior approach (AMIS approach) is chosen, where the muscles are no longer cut. As a result, the pain after the operation is much less and the patient recovers quickly, so that the patient can be discharged from inpatient treatment after only a few days.

Short-shaft prosthesis

We are often asked how long the prostheses last. Due to the eccentric movements, the load on hip and knee prostheses is very high. You have to expect that the prostheses will wear out at some point and have to be replaced. In the knee area, individual knee prostheses are therefore offered, which are precisely adapted to the patient’s anatomy, so that bone and prosthesis form a unit. In the hip area, short-shaft prostheses are used at Clinic Bel Etage, so that it is still possible to use a standard prosthesis later on without causing major bone loss.

Shoulder joint prostheses in the case of a impigement syndrome or arthrosis

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in our body. Pain in the shoulder is the first sign of a narrowing syndrome (impingement) or arthrosis in the shoulder joint. The mobility of the shoulder is increasingly limited. With the help of athroscopy, the damage can be removed in a minimally invasive way if the patient presents for treatment in time. At Clinic Bel Etage we offer all variants of shoulder reconstruction. In addition to a pure surface replacement, we also implant anatomical prostheses up to an inverse shoulder prosthesis, so that the patient can regain full range of motion after the operation. It is important not to wait too long, as problems with the shoulder can also spread to the cervical spine.

Eliminate foot problems surgically

Squeezed into shoes all day, our feet have a hard life. They have to keep us on our feet. Many people see a crooked or stiff big toe (hallux valgus, hallux rigidus) only as a cosmetic problem. However, the entire statics of our body begins with the feet. Of course, this also applies to other foot disorders such as flat, flat and splay feet, metatarsal problems and heel spurs. At some point, the knees, hips and spine also take a beating. For this reason, Clinic Bel Etage also performs interventions on the metatarsus so that the patient can stand properly on his or her feet.

Recognizing and treating postural defects

In many cases, the axial skeleton can be optimally balanced by correct shoe inserts, so that late damage caused by incorrect posture can be avoided. The orthopedics department at Clinic Bel Etage offers the most modern measurement of the axial skeleton with a 4D measurement procedure, in which not only the statics, but also the dynamics of the patient can be measured and analyzed. The patient does not have to be wired and can therefore move freely during the measurement. This results in completely new insights, especially in sports medicine.