At the City Gate East in Heidelberg, there is a very unique specialist for all complex questions concerning the spinal column: Prof. Michael Akbar offers conservative and surgical therapies for spinal column diseases in adults and children in the state of the art specialised clinic EXPERTS FIRST. However: The experienced specialist also has a top address in Berlin. By the way, also for a second opinion of university quality.
It is a trend in modern medicine for which Prof. Michael Akbar stands like only few doctors - even if he made the decision early on: The difference in medical quality is clearly made by specialization. And so it is not surprising that Prof. Akbar has gained an extraordinary reputation in the metropolis on the Neckar River within a very short time - namely that of a proven spinal column and scoliosis specialist.
It becomes clear what distinguishes the exclusive Heidelberg private clinic for orthopedics as soon as you enter the extraordinary rooms: EXPERTS FIRST is focused on excellent results down to the smallest detail - and on medical perfection that sets standards. Prof. Akbar's demanding approach is immediately apparent: "Once you have experienced excellence, you will never again be satisfied with the average".
Early specialization on the spinal column
Even during his studies, this internationally renowned expert was fascinated by the diversity of back pain - and by the fundamentally different approaches to treating it. In fact, diseases of the spine have particularly serious effects on our lives. This ranges from slight restrictions in mobility to complete social isolation - and thus to the inability to be active in both the private and the professional sphere. So Prof. Akbar focused entirely on the spine: "It gives us the ability to walk upright, stability and mobility," he says. "In other words, the spine makes us human.
Hardly anyone is as familiar with the numerous secrets hidden in the torso-bearing axial skeleton. As a support, the spine is also the mobile axis of the body - and it is connected to important parts of the body, the pelvis, arms and head. Whether it is a matter of congenital malpositions or diseases or injuries acquired through degeneration or stress, whether it is again a matter of the cervical spine, the lumbar vertebrae, the sacrum or the thoracic spine: Prof. Dr. med. Michael Akbar has a great deal of experience in all areas. This is also proven by his additional qualifications - namely Special Trauma Surgery and Special Orthopedic Surgery.
Experience from over 10,000 spine surgeries
He gained this enormous experience, from which his patients today benefit to a great extent, during his many years of work as a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery, initially as a senior physician in the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery at the University of Heidelberg - and here already in the Spine Surgery Section, part of the Center for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Paraplegiology. For more than five years, he was in charge of the Center for Spinal Surgery - the largest German university orthopedics department.
Well over 10,000 independently performed surgeries document his enormous expertise. It should be noted that all these surgeries related to the treatment spectrum of spinal diseases and corresponding injuries. In addition to this high number of surgeries, there is of course an equally enormous number of treatments that have made it possible to avoid surgery.
"Man stands and falls with the spine"
This is what Prof. Akbar initially focuses on: How can a surgical procedure be avoided? How can pain be treated - and what efficient forms of assistance are possible? It's good to know that you can rely on a specialist who can master any challenge at university level. Who is familiar with degenerative spinal diseases as well as deformities of the spine - at any age.
What also distinguishes Prof. Michael Akbar is his high level of empathy. He attaches great importance to always being perfectly prepared for appointments - and thus being able to discuss all aspects of the respective issue with time, calmness and above all honesty: Are there stress factors in the family environment? Does the professional situation have anything to do with the illness? Is there perhaps an infection? Comprehensive diagnostics, which provide precise results in a timely manner, is especially important for questions concerning the spinal column. For this reason, Prof. Akbar relies not only on a comprehensive anamnesis but also on the quality of the information provided by state-of-the-art high-tech diagnostics and innovative imaging procedures.
In this way, Prof. Akbar determines exactly whether a surgery is actually helpful and appropriate. Because there is no question for the specialist that a surgical intervention is the last option. The surgery is therefore only performed when the broad spectrum of proven and innovative conservative treatment methods available to the experienced specialist has been exhausted
Empathy - especially important for tumors
One topic in which the best possible mix of absolute specialization and exemplary empathy is of particular importance is the so-called spinal tumors - i.e. cancer of the spine. They can be benign or malignant and can occur on bones and nerves. Prof. Akbar accompanies tumor patients from the first diagnosis to aftercare and rehabilitation - with full commitment.
As already mentioned, Prof. Michael Akbar is not only active in Heidelberg. In Berlin, too, patients can benefit from his high level of expertise: In the capital, he can be found on the Friedrichstraße directly in Berlin Mitte - in the "Clinic for Spinal Diseases & Therapies". This facility, which also boasts first-class equipment, is affiliated with the renowned "Meoclinic", whose Surgical Medical Director Prof. Akbar is. Thus, the specialist also has perfect conditions and exclusive high-end technology here - always to the benefit of the patients.
Internationally connected researcher
For Prof. Akbar, his high level of specialization has another aspect - up-to-dateness. As a passionate physician, he is also an equally committed researcher who is constantly striving to expand and optimize the pool of treatment options. So he not only treats patients in two clinics at university level, the renowned spine specialist also passes on his enormous wealth of experience.
He does this, for example, as a lecturer at the elite University of Heidelberg, via lecturer training courses and at the well-known "HeiCuMed", the Heidelberg Curriculum Medicinale of the medical faculty, where innovative and practical training courses are offered. He is also much sought-after as an author of scientific journals. Journals such as "Der Orthopäde" (The Orthopedist), "Spinal Cord" and "Zeitschrift für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie" (Journal for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery) are happy to make use of his expertise. And he is also in demand as a reviewer.
This makes one thing clear: Prof. Michael Akbar wants to continue to make a contribution to optimizing conservative and surgical therapies in the future - and thus also to advance research in this important field. The two clinics alone, EXPERTS FIRST in Heidelberg and the "Clinic for Spinal Diseases & Therapies" connected to the MEOCLINIC in Berlin, demonstrate this: He is on the right path. It's no surprise, then, that the Leading Medicine Guide recognizes him as an outstanding specialist for the spine - and that Focus lists him as well: Since 2021, he has been listed there as a top physician for spine surgery.