World-renowned orthopedist chooses ‘Heart and Brain’ to train young doctors in Bulgaria

The founder of the Röttinger method consults and operates in Bulgaria

Who is doctor Heinz Röttinger?
During my professional career I have always been interested in orthopaedics with all its aspects and specific fields. Particularly important to me is the field of arthroplasty, i.e. the artificial replacement of large joints such as the hip and knee. Over the years I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge that has earned me high praise and respect worldwide. Today, my name is usually mentioned when talking about sparing and minimally invasive surgeries and artificial joints. I have also been involved in the development of highly successful knee implants. I have been called a “pioneer” in the field of minimally invasive arthroplasty.

Why did you choose ‘Heart and Brain’?
For many years I have been in friendly contact with many Bulgarian colleagues at Heart and Brain, I have often visited them and we have worked together. I have always appreciated their professional discussions, well-reasoned positions and advanced knowledge. When the high-tech hospital complexes in Pleven, and later in Burgas, started operation, I was very impressed by the high standard of the technical equipment. The increasingly intensive exchange of knowledge and experience in our common work required me to travel to Bulgaria more and more often. And this developed into a long-term process of combining practical with scientific activities in your country. It is a pleasure to operate together with the surgeons at Heart and Brain and I am proud to be able to pass on my experience to the new Bulgarian medical generation.

What is the professional level of the teams you work with in Bulgaria?
I would describe my colleagues at Heart and Brain as absolute professionals. They have a lot of experience and a solid academic background. In addition, I notice a great interest and willingness to learn new knowledge and skills. The demand for continuous individual and team improvement is much more pronounced in Pleven and Burgas than in Germany. This intrinsic motivation also corresponds to my attitude towards the profession. Patients can wish for nothing better than a doctor who is always striving to improve.

What makes you feel so useful in our country and what short and long-term goals have you set for yourself?
I have the full support of the management teams and the freedom to pursue multiple short and long term goals. A particular focus is the training of young doctors in , Heart and Brain’ to whom I want to pass on all my experience. I love scientific discussions and enjoy demonstrating advanced surgical techniques. When you have achieved almost everything in the profession, it is a pleasure to initiate and observe the positive individual development of young colleagues. Therefore, I see the short-term goal as continuous quality improvement, and the long-term goal, of course, is for as many doctors as possible to reach a high professional level and take responsibility as team leaders. Achieving this long-term goal would make me extremely happy.

You are planning to develop a joint transplant centre in Burgas. Please tell us more.
My name, of course, is closely linked to the field of arthroplasty. In this regard, I am extremely focused on expanding the range of services in Burgas, and in particular joint retransplantations. Over time, a replacement joint can wear out or loosen, so one or more components may need to be replaced. And the benefits are many – reducing pain and stiffness, increasing range of motion and improving overall quality of life. I want to establish state-of-the-art medicine in Bulgaria according to international standards.

What impresses you in your contacts with Bulgarian patients?
Both in Bulgaria and in Germany, every upcoming surgery is associated with some anxiety and this is completely normal. Most orthopaedic interventions do not secure vital organ functions, i.e. they are not performed on an emergency basis. Therefore, patients often postpone them in time – they decide that they can live with some pain or physical limitations. However, it has been proven that the right orthopaedic surgery can provide a much better quality of life. For this, patients need to consult with an experienced specialist with proven expertise who can suggest the appropriate primary or revision surgery.
Rehabilitation is also important. In order to shorten the period of limited mobility, we apply conservative (non-operative) treatment before surgery when appropriate. At ‘Heart and Brain’ patients receive rehabilitation with an individual treatment plan – after musculoskeletal surgery this process is key.

How do you see the future of orthopaedics?
The future of orthopaedics will be heavily influenced by how state-of-the-art technology can be integrated into treatment. This applies to orthopaedics in general, but also to arthroplasty in particular. Diagnosis will continue to improve significantly. Simulations will be used to determine and plan the optimal personalized treatment for the patient. Top-of-the-line technologies will then be used to implement treatment on schedule. Here, for example, I am talking about robotics of a completely new generation. To date, available technologies can often only duplicate what any experienced physician can do without a robot. But we can analyse the available information and model the different treatment options using simulation. In recent years, I have done a lot of research into these analyses and simulations.