Spine Specialist Heidelberg: Prof. Dr Harms

Prof. Jürgen Harms, MD, is a specialist in spine surgery and operates at the ETHIANUM Clinic in Heidelberg.

If surgery on the spine cannot be avoided, the diagnosis and surgery should only be carried out by a medical specialist. As a world-renowned expert in spine surgery, Prof. Harms has excellent medical expertise in this field and can access state-of-the-art surgical equipment and diagnostic technology at the ETHIANUM.

Spine Specialist with Many Years of Experience and International Reputation

Prof. Harms is one of the most experienced spine surgeons in the world. His surgical experience is outstanding, with over 10,000 conducted spine surgeries. As a scientist, researcher, and practicing medical specialist, he has published numerous papers and has significantly shaped and developed spine surgery. His advanced surgical techniques in scoliosis and tumor surgery are considered groundbreaking. Internationally, the spine expert is well networked and regularly treats patients from all over the world.

Outstanding Expert in Surgery of Scoliosis and Kyphosis

Scoliosis is a spine deformity found in all three levels of the spine - coronal - sagittal - axial. Due to the complex pathogenesis - especially in thoracic scoliosis - there may be a deformation of both thorax sides, which is expressed in the formation of a so-called rib bulge on the convexity of the curvature. In scolioses in the lumbar region, a lumbar bulge is also found - due to the axial rotation - from the convexity, which leads to a loss of waistline on the convexity ("elapsed waist triangle").

Patients with mild scoliosis (up to 20-50°) can live normal lives to a large extent with regular physical therapy. However, surgical treatment should be recommended if the deformity exceeds a certain degree of angle. If the deformation shows cardiopulmonary damage, surgical treatment should not be delayed further.

Since this is a challenging procedure, patients should consult an experienced specialist such as Prof. Harms, who has a great deal of expertise and has published it several times.

Surgery of Degenerative Spinal Diseases

Intervertebral disc joints and ligament structures are subject to aging processes. Direct damage to the intervertebral disc will damage the vertebral joints and vice versa. Damage to these motion elements is always associated with "segmental instability" due to improper biomechanical stress. The body attempts to compensate for this instability by thickening the bone and ligaments, which in most cases does not succeed. This can then lead to stenoses in the spinal canal and neuroforamina. These stenoses can cause pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, resulting in pain and neurological disorders. These disorders should initially be treated conservatively. If pain is persistent, decompression, often combined with fusion (stiffening), is indicated.

Experienced Spine Surgeon in Inflammatory Diseases of the Spine.

Pathogens can cause inflammation of the spine. Inflammatory foci destroy the fragile structures of the spine in the long term, resulting in pain and neurological deficits or deformities, as in ankylosing spondylitis. When conservative treatment methods are no longer sufficient, spinal surgery can stop the inflammatory processes locally and improve the quality of life by stiffening destroyed vertebral segments.

Interdisciplinary Therapy for Spinal Tumors

The diagnosis of a spinal tumor is an excellent shock for those affected. Even if a tumor is benign, it can damage essential structures of the spine and consequently severely limit the quality of life. The experienced team of specialists at the ETHIANUM in Heidelberg advises and cares for tumor patients interdisciplinary, from diagnosis to aftercare. During surgical therapy, specialists in spine surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery work hand in hand to achieve the best possible outcome for sufferers.

ETHIANUM Heidelberg – Medical Competence and Excellence in Surgery

The ETHIANUM in Heidelberg stands for a hospital culture of excellence and medical competence. Every client should receive the best possible treatment. All employees stand for respectful interaction, cultural tolerance, personal commitment, and medical expertise. Friendliness, individual care, and good organization in an exclusive ambiance with culinary finesse make the clinic stay as pleasant as possible.

Please visit Prof. Harms' website for more information.