Mr. L. H. (59), Sweden, knee patient: "This was topclass treatment."

I was initially diagnosed with an early onset osteoarthritis in my left knee 8 years ago and after years of physiotherapy, tailored exercises, steroid injections and most recently also 4 PRP injections, I felt that my condition had rapidly deteriorated to a point where a prosthetic surgery had to be considered. My Swedish doctors performed MRI and X-ray and a battery of movement / flexibility test of my knee. Assessment from the diagnostics indicated an early onset of osteoarthritis (again…) and a recommendation of physiotherapy and exercises (again…) when asked about a prosthetic surgery I got the answer that surgery was 5-7 years away, as I am just 59 years old…

I went in on line and googled the world of so called "medical tourism" in orthopedics and got a recommendation from Swedish doctors that I should specifically consider Germany as the orthopedic speciality is very well advanced in the country. After googling the German society of orthopedics on specialized clinics with a certification in joint preserving surgery, I found the Gelenk-Klinik in Gundelfingen outside Freiburg.

After a few weeks of mail / phone contacts with their International case manager (Claudia), I was swiftly connected with Dr Rinio who examined me in person and I also had both MRI, X-Ray and and a battery of movement test in the clinic the same day. Diagnostic delivered to me the same day a few hours later read;

"Medial gonoarthrosis with grade IV cartilage damage and liquid isointense signal alteration in the region of the femoral condyle as well as the tibial plateau. Degeneration of the medical meniscus with horizontal tear. Laterally also degeneration of the internal meniscus in the region of the anterior horn as well as moderate cartilage damage"…

And following the diagnostic arthroscopy the following day a "bicondylar surface management replacement" was performed during by Dr Rinio the same day.

Vow….finally, an orthopedic specialist that took the time to perform a full battery of tests and diagnostics and whom could tell how badly my knee was damaged, my surgery was swift and very successful and I am now on my third week of recovery, which by one way is going better than scheduled.

I am privilidged to have the opportunity to pay for a second opinion or even a surgery out of pocket and I am so grateful I took the decision to get both the second opinion and the surgery at the Gelenk-Klinik.

I can give the whole Gelenk-Klinik; from the case manager Claudia whom very efficiently brought me down to Gundelfingen and coordinated my schedule to Dr Rinio whom performed my surgery and followed my progress for 2 1/2 weeks and to all the wonderful and professional nursing staff who cared for me during my days at the clinic to Johannes my physiotherapist at rehab whom tortured me successfully during my entire stay at the clinic, my warmest recommendations. This was topclass treatment.