Foot Institute in Zurich: Foot Specialist PD Dr Norman Espinosa

PD Dr Norman Espinosa
FMH Orthopaedics and Traumatology
Specialist in Foot and Ankle Surgery
Zurich, Switzerland

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Treatment Focus

  • Correction of toe deformities (bunions, hallux varus, corrections of the little toe)
  • Metatarsalgia
  • Osteoarthrosis treatments (cartilage replacement, arthrodesis, artificial joint replacement)
  • Complex corrections in the case of severe misalignments (flat feet, pes cavus, post-traumatic or post-operative misalignments)
  • Ligament reconstructions (from minimally invasive procedures to anatomical replacement plastic surgery)
  • Sports injuries

Medical Range

Range of Diagnostic Services

  • Clinical examination by a specialist
  • X-ray diagnostics (in the Foot Institute)
  • Local infiltration
  • MRI/CT in a partner clinic
  • Neurology/angiology/internal medicine in a partner clinic

 

Range of Therapeutic Services

  • Conservative foot orthopaedics: physiotherapy, supply of special shoes, local injection treatment
  • Bunion correction
  • Little toe correction
  • Surgical treatment of metatarsalgia (from Morton's neuralgia to corrected osteotomies)
  • Arthroscopy
  • Osteoarthritis treatment (cartilage replacement treatment/joint preservation/arthrodesis/artificial joint replacement)
  • Chronic instability (ligament reconstruction, from minimally invasive procedures to anatomical replacement plastic surgery)
  • Chronic tendon diseases (from minimally invasive procedures to complex anatomical reconstructions)
  • Revision operations in the case of failed primary procedures
  • Treatment of foot inflammation
  • Complex corrections in the case of severe misalignments (flat feet, pes cavus, post-traumatic or post-operative misalignments)
  • Traumatology: treatment of fractures, acute tendon tears, acute ligament tears
  • Joint arthrodesis
  • Ankle prosthesis

About PD Prof. Dr Norman Espinosa – Foot specialist in Zurich

PD Dr Norman Espinosa is a specialist and expert in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery and a partner in the Zurich Foot Institute (Switzerland). With his many years of experience in orthopaedics and traumatology within foot and ankle surgery, PD Dr Espinosa is one of the world's leading experts in this field. This guarantees medical care at the highest level.

PD Dr Espinosa is fluent in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Swiss-German. Together with two other foot specialists, he heads up the Foot Institute in Zurich as a centre of excellence where patients are always the focus. Dr Espinosa and his colleagues take time to address the concerns of their patients and made it their guiding principle to treat them like their closest friends and family.

Highest Level of Expertise for Diseases of the Feet and Ankles

PD Dr Norman Espinosa cares for his patients from the point of diagnostic clarification, through consultation and treatment, right up to after-care, and in the process always strives to achieve individually and perfectly adapted therapeutic results. He offers a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic services for foot and ankle diseases at the Foot Institute in Zurich.

Conservative Foot Orthopaedics

Non-surgical, conservative therapy is an important pillar in the treatment of foot and ankle problems. In this regard, Dr Espinosa offers measures ranging from advice concerning possible activities, to prescription of physiotherapy, to injection treatments. In many cases, pain and anti-inflammatory medications are already able to significantly relieve discomfort in the region of the feet or ankles. In cases of misalignment, splints (orthoses), insoles or special shoes can help. The Foot Institute works together with master orthopaedic shoemakers, among others, and, where necessary, also gladly takes over the coordination of appointments. To alleviate pain and inflammatory reactions and to stop degeneration (arthrosis), e.g., in the ankle joint, PD Dr Espinosa also offers local injections (cortisone or hyaluronic acid) into the joint in cooperation with a neighboring radiology practice.

Foot Institute for Foot and Ankle Surgery

In addition to classic corrective procedures such as for bunions and hammer toes, the surgical treatment of wear and tear symptoms (osteoarthritis) in the upper ankle joint is one of Dr Espinosa's specialist areas. Unlike with the knee and hip joints, osteoarthrosis of the ankle usually occurs as a late consequence of accidents and injuries that occurred in one's earlier years. Typical complaints include difficulties getting going in the morning or pain during exercise, which can persist even during periods of rest.

If conservative treatment is not sufficient to alleviate these complaints or if the level of pain is so severe that it puts the patient under excessive strain, then foot surgery is indicated. The type of therapy here depends on the age, level of activity and secondary diseases of the patient. 

The decision will also be affected by whether the case in question is one of acquired osteoarthrosis following an accident, or an inflammatory disease, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis.

Foot Institute for Joint-Preserving Foot and Ankle Operations

These interventions preserve the "original" joint. A so-called "conversion operation" becomes an option when only a portion of the ankle is damaged by osteoarthritis. In such cases, Dr Espinosa relocates the exertion of force from the diseased part onto the healthy region of the joint by cutting out a wedge of bone. Conversion procedures within foot surgery have become increasingly important in recent years and help prevent or delay arthrodesis or artificial joint replacement.

Expert in Ankle Arthrodesis and Artificial Ankles

The ankle cannot always be preserved. However, thanks to state-of-the-art methods, joint arthrodesis or artificial ankle replacement are foot operations that represent an enormous level of recovery for patients in terms of activity and quality of life.

In the case of arthrodesis (an immobilisation procedure) Dr Espinosa secures the painful ankle using screws +/- plates, so that movement and friction of the damaged regions of the joint are prevented. Arthrodesis is especially advisable in young patients, as it also allows load-bearing activities such as jogging. One need not fear a limping gait pattern because the surrounding joints take over the flexion and rotation functions of the immobilised joint.

Alternatively, Dr Espinosa has great experience in inserting artificial ankles. These also allow numerous activities such as skiing, hiking or swimming and contribute significantly to relieving pain for osteoarthritis patients and to them regaining a large degree of quality of life.

Expert Help for Trauma and Sports Injuries to the Feet

As a specialist in traumatology, PD Dr Espinosa also treats foot injuries caused by accidents or sports. These include broken bones (fractures) as well as torn tendons or ligaments. Without suitable therapy, these injuries can cause severe damage to the ankles (osteoarthrosis). This is why Dr Espinosa and his colleagues rely on a thorough diagnosis, modern therapeutic procedures, and consistent, scientifically founded follow-up treatments to ensure a speedy recovery and regaining of one's original level of performance, especially with athletes.  

Click here for the website of PD Dr Norman Espinosa.

Curriculum Vitae

Since 2015 Partner in the Foot Institute, Zurich
2007 - 2015 Head of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Orthopaedic University Hospital of Balgrist, Zurich
2011 Obtained the venia legendi of the University of Zurich and appointed as Private Lecturer
2006 Specialist in orthopaedic surgery and traumatology of the musculoskeletal system
2006 Fellowship in Fuss- und Sprunggelenkchirurgie bei Mark S Myerson, Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA und Reserch Fellowship bei Michael B Millis und James R. Kasser, Children’s Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MD, USA
2002 Doctor of Medicine, University of Zurich
1999 State medical exams, University of Zurich

Location

Zurich Central Railway Station 3 km
Zurich Airport 15 km

Information About Zurich

Specialist doctors and medical centres in Zurich
The capital of the canton of the same name is also the largest city in Switzerland. Geographically it is located north in eastern Switzerland. Zurich is situated on the Limmat River, directly at the outflow of Lake Zurich, and is thus also called the "Limmat City." Economically, socially and scientifically, Zurich is considered the center of Switzerland. Therefore, large banks, many media companies, and international companies are located there, and at the same time, the cultural offer is rich. The well-known Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) gives Zurich an international name in educational institutions.
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Contact

PD Dr Norman Espinosa
FMH Orthopaedics and Traumatology

Zurich Foot Institute
Beethovenstrasse 3, CH-8002 Zurich

T: +41 44 504 75 47

Clinic:

Tuesday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.


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