No. 014: November-December 2021

This month, we are honored to feature an interview with Professor Dieter Christian Wirtz, whose career exemplifies the structural integration of orthopedics and traumatology within German academic medicine. As the leader of the first merged university department of its kind in Bonn, Professor Wirtz has balanced broad foundational training with deep sub-specialization in complex revision arthroplasty and periprosthetic infection. His current advocacy for three-stage care models and ecological sustainability reflects an evolving conception of surgical responsibility.

The accompanying articles address advanced reconstruction and emerging technologies across hip and knee surgery. The prosthetic management of coxa vara hips with increased femoral offset and planning and repair of acetabular defects in revision total hip arthroplasty examine solutions to complex anatomical challenges. Attention then shifts to the knee, covering patient-specific alignment and balancing with computer-assisted surgery in total knee arthroplasty and temporary arthrodesis using coupled AO rods. A dedicated contribution further evaluates the clinical integration of mixed reality and artificial intelligence in surgical practice.