On December 16^th - 21^th , international expert for spine -- Dr. med. Klaus John Schnake, who is the Head of The Center for Spinal and Scoliosis Therapy, Sch?n Klinik Nürnberg Fürth, arrived in the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University to work as a visiting professor. It is conducive to the establishment of high-quality and efficient medical service system, the introduction of advanced medical technology and development concept, and to effectively improve the innovation ability, technical level and medical service level of the hospital through in-depth communication with an internationally renowned spine expert.

During his visiting period, Dr. Schnake had carried out series of activities for academic exchange, including ward rounds, outpatient, surgical guidance, department training, discussion on management and on key and difficult cases, master public class and so on.

Dr. med. Klaus John Schnake

 Head of Center for Spinal and Scoliosis Therapy, Sch?n Klinik Nürnberg Fürth, Germany

Brief introduction

Obtained approbation for orthopaedics surgery, trauma surgery, general surgery, and outstanding awards issued by the German Spine Society.

Membership

Since

2018, Board Member of the German Spine Society (DWG)

2017, Chair of the Spine Section of the German Orthopedic and Trauma Society

2015, Member of the Knowledge Forum Spinal Trauma of the AOSpine

2014, Member of the Adivsory Board European Spine Journal

2015-2018, Member of Lunch Symposia and Pre-Meeting Committee EuroSpine

2015-2018, International Chair AOSpine Community Development

Presentations

Over 320 national and international scientific and educational oral presentations

PUBLICATIONS:

- 97 PubMed listed publications

Dr. Schnake was selected as the “Top Doctor for Spine Surgery” in 2019 by the FOCUS.

Welcome ceremony

On the evening of December 16^th, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University held a welcome ceremony for Dr. Schnake and summoned a symposium in the conference room of the training center.

Haibin Lin, who is President of the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, warmly welcomed Dr. Schnake and briefly introduced the basic situation of the hospital and the Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at the symposium.

Dr. Schnake introduced the basic situation of Sch?n Klinik Nürnberg Fürth. Its treatment technology for spine has always been at a leading place in their region.

Dr. Schnake said that this is his second visit to China. During the one-week exchange activity, he would like to share new knowledge in spine field with everyone. He is looking forward to sharing and learning with all orthopedic colleagues here.

Treat Every Patient Seriously

On the morning of December 17th, Dr. Schnake visited the operating room together with Jianhui Dai, who is Director of Spine Department of the Affiliated Hospitalm of Putian University, and they also selected surgical instruments that are to be operated in the next few days.

Dr. Schnake thinks that the hospital had made full preparation and arrange every surgery nicely, which made him more than satisfied.

Soon enough, Dr. Schnake started to carry out teaching rounds and discussed in-depth difficult cases of spine. During the discussion, Dr. Schnake and the faculty of the Department made a comprehensive exchange on the operational approach, postoperative rehabilitation and communication details between doctors and patients. For every difficult case shared by doctors, Dr. Schnake gave a detailed diagnosis and treatment protocol, also deciding when will be the best timing to operate surgery. It didn’t come to an end until 12 o’clock.

At 3 p.m., Dr. Schnake came to the outpatient clinic of the hospital for diagnosis and treatment of spinal diseases. More than a dozen patients who were suffering from spinal diseases had been waiting in the clinic in advance. Dr. Schnake is very patient with every patient. He asked for medical examination carefully, answered the questions of family members patiently, and provided the best treatment protocol.

Among all patients, there is a 15-year-old patient from Fuzhou reported that he had a sudden back pain and was diagnosed as scoliosis after examination. Dr. Schnake recommended surgery. However, the family members of the patients were worried about the risk of the operation which has to put some nails on the back. Dr. Schnake patiently explained the operation and risks to them, and told them that the operation is the best treatment at present, and it is neither a complicated nor difficult surgery, which greatly rested the patient’s heart and his family members’.

During outpatient, there is a patient as young as 8-year-old asking to be treated by Dr. Schnake. Regardless of the age, the patient was already diagnosed as scoliosis at the age of 2, and back then, doctors suggested the family members that it would be better for the patient to receive surgery at the age of 8. however, Dr. Schnake suggested that the surgery was supposed to be operated at the age of 5 for the reason that children's skeleton is not mature yet while the angle of lateral bending will become more and more serious with aging and so it would be better that the patient receive surgical correction as soon as possible.

Dr. Schnake is so remarkable in the fields of scoliosis that he was selected the “Top Doctor for Spine Surgery”by the renowned magazine--FOCUS in 2019. As the Head of Center for Spinal and Scoliosis Therapy, Sch?n Klinik Nürnberg Fürth, he is obliged to lead the department towards a internationalized development, as a result, the hospital was also listed as the “Top Hospital for Spine Surgery Nationwide”.

Being the Chief Operating Surgeon for a highly difficult surgery--Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL)

On the morning of December 18^th , Dr. Schnake and President Haibin Lin completed an operation to treat ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). With the help of a microscope, Dr. Schnake operated through the anterior cervical approach.

Due to the severe adhesion between the dura mater and the ossified part of the posterior longitudinal ligament the patient had, the dura mater was ruptured, but Dr. Schnake remained calm and carried out a perfect surgery.

Dr. Schnake pointed out that the anterior approach is more likely to have complications compared with the posterior approach to perform OPLL, such as rupture of the dura mater. Given to the patient's age and serious condition, he chose a more difficult approach, which is the anterior surgery, in order to achieve more satisfactory postoperative results, and he was also confidant about the anterior OPLL operation.

President Lin speaks highly about Dr. Schnake for his clear and precise procedure, especially the operation method with the microscope is very accurate and precise in a rigorous style of work.

Dr. Schnake takes himself as a perfectionist for being very strict with himself and he required that the procedures have to be standardized.

Introducing advanced philosophy for department training.

On the morning of December 19^th, Dr. Schnake came to the Spine Department and made rounds with the doctors. He was very concerned about the patients who underwent the surgery yesterday. He not only inquired about the patients' feelings carefully, but also checked the patients' muscle strength and nerve condition in person. At the same time, he told the doctor to pay attention to the placement time of the drainage tube. Dr. Schnake was satisfied with the patient's postoperative condition. The doctor in charge also said that Dr. Schnake decompressed thoroughly and the operation was a great success.

Not long after, Dr. Schnake gave the Department a management training. Dr. Schnake had passed down a lot about how to manage departments more efficiently and control costs. For the management of the whole department, it is not only important to improve the medical quality and patient satisfaction, but also is important to have good coordination of the staff, as well as the promotion of the Department.

Providing a thematic training--Challenges in the Treatment of Thoracolumbar Fractures in the afternoon, the doctors actively raised their own questions and asked Dr. Schnake to analyze different fracture types and how to choose the best treatment. Dr. Schnake patiently answered every question and put forward his own opinions.

On December 20th, Dr. Schnake operated a posterior cervical C4-C7 decompression operation (to remove C5 lamina and the benign tumors) together with President Haibin Lin.

During the operation, Dr. Schnake always kept a strict and precise manner in order to steer clear of the ossification site and to avoid the rupture of dura mater. From the installation of the headstock to the final stitching, Dr. Schnake never let go of every single detail, striving to make the operation to perfection, even the final step, removing the head-stock and transferring the patient was done by his own.

Dr. Schnake had been conducting operation guidance and operation practice in the operating room from 9 a.m. until over 5 p.m..The doctors presented said that the lectures delivered by a German spine master benefited them a lot.

Attending The First Forum on Prevention and Control of Spinal Cord Injury of Chinese Preventive Medicine Association

From December 21 to 22, the First Forum on Prevention and Control of Spinal Cord Injury of Chinese Preventive Medicine Association together with The Second Orthopaedics Academic Conference of Taihai Medical Association and Annual Conference of Medical Association for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery were held in Putian.

At the opening ceremony of the forum, prof. Haibin Lin together with Dr. Schnake held a Plaque Issuance Ceremony and established a Sino-Euro Communication Center for Spine, symbolizing that the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University is marching towards an international hospital for diagnosis and treatment.

Sino-German Communication Center For Spine will play an important leading role in scientific research and academic exchanges between the two parties, which can help the hospital’s surgical level of minimally invasive spine surgery to be in line with international standards, and could bring alone more benefits to the patients who suffers from spinal diseases in Fujian Province.

In the conference, Dr. Schnake also delivered a wonderful academic speech. Dr. Schnake explained the topic of minimally invasive fracture treatment, elaborated and summarized the classification of lumbar burst fracture, and the principle and scheme of minimally invasive treatment. The burst fracture of lumbar spine is very common and there are multiple case in clinical experiences. Therefore, Dr. Schnake shared his treatment experience in this field through clinical cases.

“It is not difficult to find through a whole week’s work that doctors or nurses have all been trained very well and equipped with enormous medical knowledge, which is fundamental to patients’ treatment effect.”, said Dr. Schnake, hopefully, in the future, we will better cooperate with the hospital in depth, and enhance exchanges in the promotion of technology and other academic support.

Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery of the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University is one of the few departments specialized in minimally invasive treatment of spine in China. It is one of the only two training centers for postgraduates majoring in orthopaedics in Fujian Province. The Department always takes "minimally invasive" as the core of medical technology. On the basis of introducing technology from abroad, it has boldly explored, assiduously studied, relied on scientific and technological development, accurately diagnosed and accumulated rich clinical experience, successfully treated a large number of complex and severe spinal diseases, and successively carried out a number of representative and characteristic new technology for minimally invasive spine surgery and new services, many of which have reached the first-class level in China. The Department has become a specialized center for spinal surgery characterized by the treatment of various spinal cord injuries, spinal degenerative diseases, spinal tuberculosis, tumors and spinal deformities. Under the leadership of Prof. Haibin Lin and Prof. Jianhui Dai, who is a leading force in discipline, the department has been actively carrying out basic and clinical research on spinal diseases, and have achieved fruitful results.