Prof. Dr med. Clément Werner

Back and pelvic pain can massively impair quality of life – and often take all the joy out of mobility. As a result, they often have an impact on all aspects of everyday life. Almost everyone is affected by it in the course of their life. But what happens if spinal pain develops into a chronic condition, often without the cause of the complaints being found? This is exactly what Dr Clément Werner specialises in – diseases and injuries of the sacroiliac joint, spine and pelvis. Changes in these areas are often the reason for chronic pain.

Prof. Dr med. Clément Werner has extensive expertise in the sacroiliac joint, spine and pelvis, which he has acquired through many national and international orthopaedic-surgical training courses. Between 2005 and 2007 alone, he completed three fellowships in the USA, and also worked as a senior physician at Balgrist University Hospital and in management positions at Zurich University Hospital – culminating in the role of Deputy Clinic Director. In 2012, he was made a titular professor due to his numerous scientific publications and book contributions. Prof. Clément Werner is also very well connected, belonging to numerous professional societies and committees as well as various specialist editorial boards.

Dedicated specialist: a thirst for research as an elixir of life

“Curiosity and research have guided me since the beginning of my medical career,” says Dr Clément Werner. He is therefore always keen to learn about innovative treatment methods and surgical techniques, to research them himself and to optimise them as appropriate. “My goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for my patients,” he explains. Word of this dedicated approach is spreading: for more than twenty years, Prof. Werner has been treating patients from all over the world who come to him with injuries and diseases of the sacroiliac joint, spine, pelvis and hip.

One of his particular areas of research and specialisation is the sacroiliac joint. This joint, which is normally stabilised by a tight connective system, is considered to be the connection between the sacrum and the ilium, hence its name. Even though this joint is usually called a single joint, there are two sacroiliac joints, one on the left, one on the right. The critical study of current methods and techniques and creative advancements around these joints, for example, have led Prof. Werner to design his own implant for fusion of the sacroiliac joint: an implant that is fitted in a minimally invasive procedure. This implant is special in that it can be fully weight-bearing immediately after the operation. The specialist has already performed more than 500 sacroiliac joint operations since he began focusing intensively on this joint in 2005.

Area of expertise: sacroiliac joint

Due to his pioneering work, Prof. Werner is also a sought-after speaker at scientific congresses on the topic of the sacroiliac joint and corresponding implants. According to Prof. Werner, sacroiliac joint diseases are one of the most frequently overlooked diseases. “It is an under-diagnosed problem, which means that patients consult many doctors and are often forced into psychiatric care,” he explains. However, “with an incidence of seventy percent, lower back pain is a common clinical presentation, especially among older people”, says the expert. In fact, Dr Clément Werner repeatedly states that in one third of cases, the cause lies with the sacroiliac joint.

However, because of the wide range of symptoms and the complexity of the anatomy, the experienced surgeon says that the problem often goes undetected. At the etzelclinic in Pfäffikon, where joint surgery specialists draw on the highest levels of expertise and experience to develop individual treatment plans for all aspects of the musculoskeletal system, Dr Clément Werner is an internationally recognised specialist for the sacroiliac joint. He is a specialist and researcher who is familiar with all possible conservative methods and has an amazing reputation due to the surgical interventions he has developed himself. So when Prof. Werner moved to the etzelclinic in summer 2021, as it was establishing itself as a showcase institution for high-performance medicine, this was just the next logical step.

Vertebral body fractures: high expertise

Prof. Werner is also the right consultant for osteoporotic fractures in vertebral bodies or the pelvis. His immense experience and the active support of his competent team enable him to stabilise such fractures using a minimally invasive procedure in most cases. For vertebral fractures, the spine is straightened with the help of balloons and then stabilised with bone cement to restore the original shape of the spine.

Prof. Clément Werner also uses a minimally invasive approach for pelvic ring fractures: he inserts stabilising screws into the body through small incisions that leave almost no scars. The advantage of this surgical method, which requires great manual dexterity, skill and experience, is the rapid mobilisation of patients after the procedure. Complications due to prolonged bed confinement can also be avoided in this way, because hospital stays are reduced enormously.

Patients who come to Prof. Clément Werner at the top-class etzelclinic can be sure that they will be treated with the latest minimally invasive methods. In some cases, an endoscopic treatment of the pain fibres can address back pain without fusion surgery and without implants. This is good news, especially for many people whose daily lives have been affected by back pain for a long time.

High-performance medicine par excellence: commitment and passion

Dr Clément Werner is not satisfied with solving complex tasks with his team and providing his patients with the individually optimal therapy - from the initial treatment of arthrosis to complete surgery on the spine and hip to the intricacies of interventional pain therapy with individual injections. This highly committed specialist also wants to pass on his extensive knowledge to future generations - which is why he is particularly keen to train and support young aspiring doctors.

He also wants to share the joy that he feels when he treats the musculoskeletal system. He knows that only those who are enthusiastic about their discipline can deliver top performance. And patients can only be helped properly if diseases that occur are recognised correctly and treated professionally. It is not always possible to convey this passion, but Prof. Werner regularly gives advanced training courses on his special field of sacroiliac joints in Switzerland and Germany, but also internationally. The gratitude of his patients for a pain-free life speaks for itself.