Knee Specialist and Sports Doctor in Vienna - Assoc. Prof. PD Dr Marcus Hofbauer

Prof. PD Dr Marcus Hofbauer is an internationally renowned orthopaedic surgeon and knee specialist. In addition, he is the senior team physician of Bundesliga football club FK Austria Wien. Under the motto “I only operate when it is absolutely necessary”, Prof. Dr Hofbauer supports his patients from the time of diagnosis until completion of rehabilitation. Quality and an intensive relationship of trust with his patients are important issues. Added to his outstanding expertise in the field of knee joint and cruciate ligament surgery, his specialities include the following practices: minimally invasive (arthroscopic) surgery of meniscus injuries, instabilities of the kneecap, leg axis corrections, hip and knee prostheses, shoulder injuries, as well as conservative therapies of all sport injuries. He is also leading author of numerous, internationally renowned publications. He has supervised several studies about graft healing following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. In addition to his work as senior physician and head of the research cluster “Sports and Joint Preservation” at the university clinic for orthopaedics and trauma surgery at Vienna General Hospital, he manages the private practice “ArthroWien” at the Döbling Private Clinic.

Medical Officer Through Absolute Specialization

For years, the “ArthroWien” surgery center in Döbling - under the direction of Prof. Dr Hofbauer - has been one of the absolutely top medical establishments for the assessment and treatment of knee injuries for numerous famous sports clubs including national and international professional athletes. The orthopaedic care for international competitive athletes requires top knowledge of modern trends in orthopaedics and sports medicine plus the ability to understand their scientific mode of actions accordingly. Prof. Dr Hofbauer benefits from his worldwide network and regular exchange with leading knee scholars. Prof. Dr Hofbauer is a member of numerous high-profile professional societies.

Absolute Expert in Arthroscopic, Joint-Preserving Knee Surgery in Vienna

Prof. Dr Hofbauer is internationally known and respected for his extremely high level of expertise in the fields of knee joint and cruciate ligament surgery. In 2013, he was the first Austrian sports surgeon to receive the “AGA-Aircast Pittsburgh Research Fellowship” at the University of Pittsburgh, US – an award given by the Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery. He accomplished to perfect his expertise in the field of cruciate ligament surgery. Because of his outstanding achievements, he won the ESSKA-AOSSM DJO Traveling Fellowship in the US in 2017, the highest award in the field of sports orthopaedics – an honour given to only three orthopaedic surgeons across Europe every two years.

Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Not Limited to Professional Sports

Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most common and serious knee injuries. The cruciate ligaments stabilize and guide the movement of the knee joint. In case of a cruciate ligament injury, there is an increased instability present, especially during workout. In order to continue to be active in sporting activities and to reduce complications as much as possible, Prof. Dr Hofbauer has been successfully performing cruciate ligament reconstructions for years. He has first introduced the concept of “individualized cruciate ligament surgery” in 2013. During this medical process, patients’ individual anatomical conditions and personal requirements are taken into account in order to achieve best possible results. The “ArthroWien” private surgery practice of the surgery center at the Döbling Private Clinic is patients’ first choice for complex knee injuries in Vienna.

Meniscus Specialist for Damage and Injuries

The most common internal knee injury is the meniscus lesion, mainly caused by a simple twisting trauma to the knee joint. During an MRI, Dr Hofbauer and his team can exceptionally visualize the menisci and thus organize an optimal therapy plan.

Nowadays, people know that the meniscus should be preserved whenever possible. The meniscal fixation procedure is therefore the chosen method for keeping the meniscus functional and to prevent consequential damage. During this operation, degenerative tissue of the meniscus is arthroscopically removed and intact meniscal tissue remains. This results in an advantageous effect on the joint alignment due to minimalized reduction of contact surface.

In some cases, meniscus transplantation is the preferred process for ensuring joint preservation and functionality. As a meniscus specialist, Prof. Dr Hofbauer decides which procedure to be applied for each patient individually.

Knee Arthrosis Early Detection and Individual Treatment

Damage to the knee joint cartilage should be detected and treated as early as possible. Prof. Dr Hofbauer performs various therapy options depending on cause and size of injury. Inflammation, incorrect or excessive strain, and overweight are among the most common risk factors in adults. Knee arthrosis in younger patients can usually be traced back to a malposition such as knock knees or bow legs. In the beginning of a knee arthrosis problem, exercise, diet, and hyaluronic acid can stop joint wear. In case of a malposition, a displacement osteotomy can eliminate the cause.

Displacement Osteotomy for Younger Patients with Cartilage Damage

In the legs, malpositions of the axis (i.e. bow legs or knock-knees), progressive joint changes can be a result in more severe cases. This cartilage damage is often the origin of increasing pain or early signs of arthrosis onset. In order to prevent or at least slow down the progression of the disease in mostly younger patients, there are now well-established techniques for correcting the leg axes. These so-called repositioning osteotomies help patients to strain the own body joints properly again and to enable him or her to move again painlessly for as long as possible. Through the application of displacement osteotomy, a significant prolongation of the ‘prosthesis-free interval’ can mostly be achieved

The Appropriate Time for an Artificial Knee Joint

When knee pain due to arthrosis severely restricts everyday life, a knee prosthesis can provide relief. In cooperation with the patient, Prof. Dr Hofbauer determines the right time, enabling the reduction of pain and regain of the fullest possible joint function for the improvement of patients’ quality of life. During the surgical procedure, individually adjusted prostheses are precisely positioned and mounted in a minimally invasive measure. When it comes to joint replacement, the patient's wish nowadays is not only a pain-free resumption of everyday activities, but also the ability to return to the pursuit of athletic activities. In order to be able to give full approval for certain types of workouts, Prof. Dr Hofbauer performs movement analyses to detect incorrect strain or overloading of the joints ahead of time. The ideal scenario is to rule out any overstrain.

Please, go ahead and visit the website of Assoc. Prof. PD Dr Marcus Hofbauer for further information.