Wir überwinden Grenzen

Expert in the treatment of bone fractures and joint-preserving surgery / Expansion of tumor surgery and minimally invasive surgery for diabetes planned

Prof. Dr. Hagen Schmal (49) took over as Medical Director of the Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery at Freiburg University Hospital on November 1. Born in Magdeburg, he specializes in the treatment of complex bone fractures with a focus on pelvic and paediatric traumatology as well as orthopaedic, joint-preserving surgery of the hip, knee and feet. His scientific focuses include the treatment of accident-related joint damage with laboratory-grown cartilage tissue, musculoskeletal stem cell research and traumatology care research. In addition to his many years of work in Freiburg, he has also worked in Ann Arbor/USA, Zurich/Switzerland and Odense/Denmark, where he most recently held the first professorship for traumatology in Denmark. He will remain connected to the north through an adjunct professorship at the University of Southern Denmark.

Prof. Schmal succeeds Prof. Dr. Norbert Südkamp, who headed the Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery at Freiburg University Hospital for almost 20 years. Prof. Südkamp is now full-time Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Freiburg.

Reducing secondary damage caused by tumors and diabetes

Schmal's goals include the increased treatment of patients with cancer and chronic diseases such as diabetes. In both cases, the number of people suffering from long-term complications is increasing due to significantly improved medical care - and therefore higher life expectancy. "Our department has links to both areas of focus, and we will strengthen these in the future," says Schmal. "In tumor surgery, the technical requirements are enormous, which is why we want to strengthen this area," says Schmal. He also sees great potential for patients with diabetes: "For these patients in particular, we can use minimally invasive surgery to avoid wound healing problems caused by small incisions."

Importing ideas from the UK - despite Brexit

The orthopaedic surgeon's personal focus has always been the pelvis. "It's often a matter of survival at the beginning, but the subsequent restoration of the hip joint is very challenging from a surgical point of view," says Schmal. In the coming years, a holistic concept will have to be developed. "Orthopaedic surgery doesn't just mean operating," Schmal clarifies. "For our older patients in particular, it can be vital to receive interdisciplinary help. In the UK, it has been common practice for decades for geriatricians to support treatment on orthopaedic wards. This idea is successful, actually simple, scientifically well documented, would be duty-free despite Brexit and should therefore also be possible to implement in Freiburg," says Schmal.

Contact: 
Prof. Dr. Hagen Schmal
Medical Director
Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery
Freiburg University Medical Centre
Phone: 0761 270-26990
hagen.schmal@uniklinik-freiburg.de