Center of Excellence for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery

The rural area surrounding Würzburg is known for its Medieval villages and towns which are dotted along the romantic Main river. This area is also known for its vineyards, which are the source of the world-famous ‘Bocksbeutel’ Franconian wine. In the middle of this region, the traditional town of Kitzingen, which is renowned for its significance in the wine industry, attracts tourists to Lower Franconia every year. The people here live a good life, which is in part thanks to their knowledge that people who require medical care for their musculoskeletal system and want to maintain full mobility have access to an extraordinary centre of excellence which also contributes to the quality of life in the region. Two outstanding experts in the major joints work closely together here: Dr Dirk Gühlen, Chief Physician of the Department for Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Sports Medicine at Klinik Kitzinger Land, and Dr Norbert Gerhard from Orthopädiezentrum Kitzingen.

These two physicians are experts in all matters relating to the feet, knees, hips and shoulders and their successful cooperation has been setting standards in this region for a number of years: the close collaboration between Dr Dirk Gühlen and Dr Norbert Gerhard has already restored mobility levels which meet the highest of modern medical standards for lots of patients in the region of Lower Franconia.

Doctors like these two experts stand for a new era in the field of high-performance orthopaedics: People who are experiencing problems with their musculoskeletal systems don’t just want to be able to move without pain again nowadays... their goals have fundamentally changed. Even when it comes to joint replacements, the new joint is often linked to the patient relaunching themselves into the world of sport. Dr Gühlen and Dr Gerhard have already treated a number of patients who only developed a passion for sport once they had prostheses thanks to the combined expertise of both consultants.

Orthopaedic care for the entire region

Klinik Kitzinger Land is an important point of contact in the region surrounding Würzburg as it is the central hospital for primary care and standard care. Primary care is provided here for people throughout the region and beyond and this naturally also includes the fields of trauma orthopaedics and traumatology. Therefore, people who need to see an expert after an accident or acute injury get in touch with the Clinic for Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Sports Medicine, which is directed by Dr Gühlen.

In particular because lots of experience in reaching a fast diagnosis is required for injuries and the consequences of injuries, the team in Kitzingen offers surgical and non-surgical treatment at the highest level and also always supports its patients throughout the comprehensive rehabilitation process.

Two experts help patients find joy in movement

All of the relevant disciplines relating to mobility are represented at the centre of excellence for orthopaedics and trauma surgery. Active people in particular, who love to move and test their performance limits, place their trust in the expertise of Dr Gühlen and Dr Gerhard in the field of sports medicine. Both experts continuously and consistently work together to refine their methods for operations designed to preserve joints and in arthroscopic procedures. As such, the consultants often identify any misalignment at a very early stage and can correct this using the latest scientific methods. Both of the consultants, who take a very similar approach to their roles, are true experts when it comes to avoiding surgical intervention because they have an excellent understanding of all modern non-surgical methods. Therefore, it goes without saying that they also do their utmost to preserve patients’ joints and to treat patients without using prostheses.

Joint replacement: Exemplary individual approach

This does not always succeed, of course. However, when the task is to find a suitable prosthesis, the idea that the result should offer the best possible mobility is always at the forefront of the consultants’ minds. In this regard, when it comes to endoprosthetics it is important to use procedures which are particularly gentle on the muscles from the outset. In this manner, Dr Gühlen and Dr Gerhard have already been able to facilitate a return to everyday life with movement that patients miss so much for lots of patients who were previously suffering from, in some cases, very advanced arthrosis of the knee, shoulder, ankle or hips, thus allowing them to live life with mobility and without pain, often even realising new sporting ambitions. Sometimes, a joint replacement really is the best solution to achieve a life without pain again as quickly as possible.

Something that really makes the centre of excellence for orthopaedics and trauma surgery stand out is its rare combination of skills and capacities which has enabled Kitzingen to become established as a regional centre for orthopaedic cases and treatment.

Dr Dirk Gühlen, Chief Physician of the Department for Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Sports Medicine at Klinik Kitzinger Land, is passionate about traumatology and sports medicine. As such, the certified trauma centre, which also works in close cooperation with the central emergency department, is led by a consultant who has many strings to his bow. Care is provided for around two thousand patients who have had accidents at work every year at the clinic and Dr Gühlen is recognised as being a true expert when it comes to artificial joints for hips, knees and shoulders in the field of endoprosthetics. For patients, it is good to know that Dr Gühlen is also a consultant in the field of general surgery.

Dr Norbert Gerhard, consultant in orthopaedics and trauma surgery, manages Orthopädiezentrum Kitzingen and has a particularly strong specialism in foot surgery and ankle surgery. Thanks to this specialism, he has a particularly high level of expertise when it comes to these joints. He has extensive knowledge of the entire range of treatments in modern orthopaedics, including shockwave treatment, various treatment options for arthrosis or osteoporosis and innovative laser treatment options. As the team physician for a football team, he has a reputation for being able to get players moving without any pain again quickly and for getting players back on the pitch and ready to play, even after complex injuries.

In the field of endoprosthetics, the two experts at the centre of excellence fororthopaedics and trauma surgery share core beliefs: A joint replacement must be excellent on all counts and provide a long-lasting and significant improvement to a patient’s quality of life. Nothing is left to chance when it comes to artificial joints. Each individual prosthesis is customised on an entirely individual basis so it feels like a natural part of the body after just a short time and lasts a long time too.

Endoprosthetic replacements: Outstanding expertise in revision

Even in circumstances where joint replacements are no longer suitable and people experience problems with prostheses, both consultants and their teams are able to help. Therefore, Dr Gühlen and Dr Gerhard also specialised in revision endoprosthetics, i.e. in replacement operations, at an early stage.

In this field, both consultants are renowned as being the perfect points of contact for all matters ranging from joint preservation to the replacement of artificial joints. As experienced orthopaedic surgeons and versatile surgeons, Dr Gühlen and Dr Gerhard also always talk their patients through all treatment plans and all the associated steps in an exemplary manner. Therefore, people in the region surrounding Kitzingen who are experiencing mobility issues can benefit from two outstanding locations: Klinik Kitzinger Land and Orthopädiezentrum Kitzingen.

Important: Interdisciplinary exchange

Both consultants also share their interdisciplinary approach. This means that, at the centre of excellence for orthopaedics and trauma surgery, the doctors ensure that any questions that come up are answered by true experts for the patient’s benefit. Patients are in the best of hands at both of their outstanding centres. The optimum result is achieved in collaboration with lots of experts from all fields, from diagnostic radiology to physiotherapists and ergotherapists, and both consultants and their teams guarantee a wide range of services.