Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli is the world’s leading spine surgeon in the opinion of many medical professionals and patients. Nothing could be more evident of Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli's role as the world's leading spine surgeon in that he teaches spine surgery to other doctors all over the world. He has instructed more than 3,000 doctors from more than 55 countries. As of May 2011 he has completed over 5,000 artificial disc replacements (ADRs) and over 7,500 spinal devices of all types. He has performed all his own anterior and posterior approaches to the spine, making him the most experienced ADR surgeon in the world. Dr. Bertagnoli is the only ADR surgeon, who has peer-reviewed analysis of the results of his work. A surgeon's manual skill, experience and research credentials are the most important factors when choosing a surgeon, especially when the surgical procedures are relatively new. To further understand some of the distinctions of Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli's methods and practices please see the patient testimonial of one of our US medical doctors, Dr. Charles Hahn

News:
***Patient evaluations are now free to those who use our new online evaluation system. This system saves time and money for the patient and ProSpine.

***Short-term loans may now be available through a bank to patients with letters of guaranteed payment to the patient from their insurance companies.(Costs are much lower in Germany with the quality of care very high)

*** Currently many patients are asking about elastomeric (rubbery) or cushioning disc replacements, such as the LP-ESP, Ranier, Spinal Kinetics M6, etc., which have the CE mark. Several of these discs are available for implantation with Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli, if it is appropriate for the patient. Patients with severe degeneration of spinal segment are not usually good candidates for these discs, as the surrounding tissue may have adapted to degenerative conditions, therefore more corrective devices like a semi-constrained device may be better suited. Caveat: While the concept of these discs is appealing for disc replacement surgery, long-term studies are not available to substantiate the endurance of the new materials used in them and the containment of internal materials by the ones with an "artificial annulus". If the inner core of these devices should fail or erode over time, replacement of the inner core of single piece devices require the removal of the entire disc. These three points represent additional risks to the patients receiving these devices. Click for more information.

***Also, the extreme lateral ( NuVasive ® ) or oblique implantation ( Prodisc-0 ) approach for lumbar patients is available.

To determine if these discs are right for you, please contact us. Each patient is different.*** Discussion about different artifical discs.

Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli is leading the development of 360 motion preservation surgical techniques. This is an important concept for those who have degenerative scoliosis, which is a condition, which causes rotation and curvature of the spine in adults due to compromises of the intervertabral discs. New techniques such as the Dynamic Stabilization System are directly applicable to this condition. Furthermore, severe facet hypertrophy in the lumbar spine is no longer an impediment to motion preservation with the Total Spinal Motion Segment (TSMS) implant and facet joint replacement.

Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli stays atop of his profession by setting aside time for active research, whereas most surgeons remain focused only on their daily practice. Research is a never-ending task, especially in the very complex field of spine surgery. New treatments are always under development. Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli, who was initially trained as a mechanical engineer, has played a significant role in the development of the Prodisc artificial disc replacement and the surgical procedure and instruments to implant it. The instrumentation concept has been copied by other manufacturers and he is setting the standards for the surgical procedures. He is also the second surgeon to have implanted the Maverick artificial disc replacement. Also, the patient should know that Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli is free to implant the best disc for the patient and has no agreement with any manufacturer to exclusively implant their disc.

Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli believes that for the best outcome, research and any standard medical procedure must be correctly applied to the unique circumstance of the patient with back pain. Therefore, he with other doctors on his staff extensively examines all patient records, images and pain questionnaires before the patient arrives. To get the best diagnosis and treatment plan possible, sometimes Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli will request more images or other tests before a final diagnosis and treatment plan are made. Although this may seem tedious to some, it is necessary to avoid surprises after the patient arrives. Of course, upon arrival at Pro Spine extensive exams of the patient will take place before surgery.

Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli follows the conservative approach to spine surgery, i.e. spine surgery should never be conducted without a clear indication it is needed. If there is no clear indication for spine surgery, then conservative non-invasive techniques should be used first. Warmth, electrotherapy, physiotherapy, medication and osteopathic techniques are example of non-invasive treatments available at Pro Spine. More aggressive non-surgical techniques such as injections for pain are also available. Because it is often impossible to predict the progression of spine disease, no prophylactic surgery is done, although the patient may request it.

If you have serious back pain, we invite you to contact us for an evaluation with the world's leading spine surgeon, Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli.