Knee Surgery in Germany

There are many causes for painful worn cartilage in the knee joint: arthritis, arthrosis, traumas with bone- or cartilage lesions or metabolic disorders like gout or hemochromatosis. © bilderzwerg @ fotolia

Osteoarthritis (worn cartilage) is the most common joint condition. The most common form of osteoarthritis is osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis of the knee causes chronic pain and limits movement. The cartilage in the knee wears away over many years. Since the cartilage has no sensitive nerve endings (pain sensors), damage is only noticed when the defects already affect the bone beneath the cartilage.

A cartilage transplant, or cartilage cell or chondrocyte transplant, is a new surgical procedure: in which cartilage damage is repaired using cartilage cells from the patient’s own body. Few knee specialists in Germany successfully perform this procedure. Dr Baum was the first physician in the world to perform an entirely arthroscopic cartilage transplant of the knee. He co-developed this procedure and trains other physicians in this surgical procedure.

• Orthopaedics, surgery and trauma surgery
• Sports medicine
• Mountain and altitude medicine

PD Dr. med. habil. Bastian Marquaß, Orthopaedic Consultant and Trauma Surgeon

Since 2013: Instructor for Orthopaedics and trauma surgery at the Medical University Leipzig

• 2002: Graduation and license as Physician
• 2004: International Diploma in Mountain Medicine
• 2005: Organisation of the medical support and active care of the athletes of the Fencing World Cup in Leipzig
• 2006: Organisation of the medical logistics and standby treatment of the athletes in the FIFA-Klinik during the Soccer World Cup
• 2007: Organisation of the medical support and active care of the athletes of the Bow World Championship in Leipzig
• 2006 bis 2008: Athlete treatment of the Soccer players from BBV Leipzig
• 2008 bis 2017: Athlete treatment of the Handball players from DHFK Leipzig
• 2013 bis 2017: Chief physician in the Klinik für Unfall-, Wiederherstellungs- und Plastische Chirurgie, Leipzig
• Since 2017: Senior Orthopaedic Consultant in the Gelenk-Klinik in Gundelfingen

Dr. med Peter Baum, Founder of Gelenk Klinik, Orthopaedic Specialist, Consultant for Orthopaedic Knee Surgery

• Founder of the Gelenk Klinik Orthopaedic Hospital
• Orthopaedic Specialist since 1990
• Expert Consultant for Arthroscopic knee surgery, Knee Replacement Surgery, Meniscus Repair, Unicompartmental Knee Replacement (Repicci), Cartilage Replacement, Anterior Cruciate Ligaments Reconstruction
• Languages: English, French, German

Prof. Dr. med Sven Ostermeier, Orthopaedic Specialist, Senior Consultant for Orthopaedic Shoulder and Knee Surgery

• Senior Orthopaedic Consultant
• Orthopaedic Specialist since 2007
• Professor university Hanover since 2013
• Assistant Professor since 2008
• Dissertation and medical PHD since 2001
• Major contributor to medical research on knee surgery, particularly patella disorders
• Expert Consultant and academic teacher for Arthroscopic knee surgery, Knee Replacement Surgery, Meniscus Repair, Unicompartmental Knee Replacement (Repicci), Cartilage Replacement, Anterior Cruciate Ligaments Reconstruction, Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery, Shoulder Prosthetics
• Languages: English, French, German

Knee specialist approach to knee investigation ©Fotolia.com

The most suitable treatment for you will depend not only on the stability of your knee, but also on your age and your general medical condition. What is required by a knee specialist to diagnose your knee condition?

Specialist approach to osteoarthritis of the knee © Viewmedica

Treatment for knee osteoarthritis aims primarily to alleviate the pain it causes, reduce any associated inflammation, maintain patient mobility, minimize disabilities and improve the patient's long term quality of life.

Arthroscopic knee surgery is a joint preserving therapy ©Viewmedica

Arthroscopic surgery (key hole surgery of the knee) involves a minimally invasive technique usually done as day case surgery and is conducive to a remarkably quick recovery.

©Viewmedica

The path to osteoarthritis is reversible

Patients benefitting from the regeneration of their cartilage with autologous cartilage transplantation, can enjoy something that no generation before them was able to experience: enhanced agility, flexibility and overall knee performance.

Knee specialist approach to the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ©Viewmedica

The anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) at the front and back of the knee, are the central pillars of the joint and as such, the essential stabilisers. They connect the front top of the tibia (lower leg bone), to the rear bottom of the femur (thigh bone). A rupture of one of the ligaments causes instability, which if not treated, leads to considerable attritional damage to the cartilage in the knee joint (arthrosis). Clinical and experimental examinations have proven that a damaged frontal cruciate knee ligament will not heal by itself.

Anatomy of the knee joint: Knee osteoarthritis may occur locally in the individual compartments of the knee joint. Either the inner knee, the outer knee or the retropatellar joint behind the kneecap can be worn out by osteoarthritis. © Istockphoto.com, MedicalArtInc

In many patients only part of the knee joint is affected by osteoarthritis (destruction of the joint surfaces). The medial (inner) compartment of the knee and the area behind the patella are particularly susceptible to cartilage wear. This is often the case in patients with more severe bow-leg deformity (varus knee). For such patients, a partial knee replacement is better than a total knee prosthesis: the healthy parts of the bone and cartilage are preserved and only the damaged parts of the knee joint are replaced.

Knee specialist approach to total knee replacement ©Viewmedica

Total knee replacement (endoprothesis)

If a partial knee replacement is no longer possible (the damage to the joint surface is too great), the knee joint surface is replaced completely with "artificial knee joint". This means that the worn ends of the bones are replaced with metal and plastic parts.

With a total knee replacement, the choice of method used to connect the upper and lower leg components, is most important. There are two prosthesis options for this, "fixed bearing" and "mobile bearing". The mobile bearing prosthesis uses a moving "meniscus" disc, more closely resembling the natural structure of the knee.

Knee specialists approach to osteoarthritis of the knee ©Viewmedica

Knee pain may be due to Patella Tacking Disorder (PTD). The patella syndrome may be caused by a problem with the bones, muscles or ligaments which support the patella (knee cap), helping it to remain in the correct place.

Knee experts approach to arthroscopic menisc repair ©Viewmedica

The Role of the Meniscus in the knee joint

Located in the space between the distal femur and the tibial plateau, the elastic crescent-shaped menisci (the medial meniscus and the lateral meniscus) play a number of important roles in the proper functioning of the knee. Their remarkable physical properties enable them to function as shock absorbers between the weight bearing surfaces of the knee and distribute compressive forces from the femur more evenly across the tibial plateau.

Knee realigment can prevent osteoarthritis of the knee ©Viewmedica

Tibial Osteotomy with Open Wedge

This surgical procedure is used in cases where osteoarthritis has affected only one side of the knee joint. The tibia is cut and re aligned so that pressure is shifted from the damaged side of the joint to the healthier side.

An in patient stay of two nights is normally required.