Spine specialist - Neurosurgeon
Dr. Armin Helmbrecht, MD has specialized in microscopic minimally invasive open surgical methods using a trocar (sleeve) in the recent years. In this way he has modified, amongst other things, the posterior approach to the cervical spine (for treatment of herniated disc and stenosis) into an access as wide as a finger. This offers the advantage of significantly shorter recovery times as well as the prevention of post surgical neck pain. With the same technique he is able to treat spinal stenoses of the lumbar and thoracic spine. As instructor and guest surgeon he is regularly on lecture tours to teach his new surgery techniques and stay in close contact to his international colleagues.
Differentiated application of highly specialized minimally invasive surgery techniques for the entire spine with the aim to maintain function and mobility wherever possible.
- Dorsal microforaminotomy of the cervical spine
- Endoscopic and trocar-based surgeries at the lumbar and cervical spine for herniated disk or stenosis
- Spinal arthroplasty (prosthesis) at lumbar and cervical spine
- Dynamisation techniques for the lumbar spine
- Microscopic tumor surgery of the spine and its neural structures (spinal cord, spinal nerves)
Curriculum Vitae
1984 – 1991
Studies of human medicine at the University of Saarland, medical faculty Homburg/Saar and at the University of Auckland, School of Medicine, Thames Hospital, New Zealand
1988 - 1989
Scientific assistant at the anatomic department of the medical faculty of the University of Saarland.
1987 – 1991
Lecturer for drugs and diseases in neurology and psychiatry at the Krankenpflegeschule des Ev. Fliedner hospital and the Ev. Krankenhaus Saarbrücken
1996 - 2007
Lecturer for neurosurgery at the Klinikum Augsburg, training supervisor of the medical students of the University of Munich, Lecturer at the Krankenpflegeschule of Klinikum Augsburg
Career
1991-1993
Traumatic surgery and neurosurgery, BG Unfallklinik Murnau
1993-1994
Neurosurgery, Klinikum Augsburg
1994-1995
Neurosurgery, BWZK Koblenz
1995-2007
Neurosurgery, Klinikum Augsburg
1998
Certificate as specialist for neurosurgery, certificate sonography and radiology in neurology
2001
Certificate as specialist for neurosurgery, certificate sonography and radiology in neurology
seit 2001
Lecturer for neurosurgery at the Klinikum Augsburg, teaching hospital of the University of Munich
2003
Master of Business and Administration (MBA), FH Neu Ulm
2005
Head of department and deputy director of the clinic
2007-2008
Alphaklinik München, Alpha Spine Center department, Dr. Hoogland
since 2008
Private practice in the MVZ Helios with the apex spine CENTER for function preserving spine surgery.
Scientific talks
PLIF – Treatment in lumbar Instability or Listhesis University of Kuopio, Finnland, Februar 2001
Advantages of PEEK-Cages in anterior cervical fusion First results in 27 cases German-Finnish Meeting, Klinikum Augsburg, April 2002
Vorteile der PEEK-Cages im HWS-Bereich [Advantages of PEEK-Cages in the cervical spine] Symposium on the Spine, Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe, September 2002
Congress secretary: 20th anniversary of neurosurgery in Augsburg, November 2002
Die lumbale Bandscheibendegeneration: Behandlungsstrategien (-pfade): konservativ – interventionell – operativ. Gibt es einen Evidenz basierten oder HTA-geprüften Goldstandard? During a continuing education course of the neurosurgeons from southern Germany, 20th anniversary of neurosurgery in Augsburg, November 2002
Vorteile von PEEK-Cages (SolisTM) bei ventraler Diskektomie Erste Ergebnisse in 52 Fällen Winter meeting of the swiss neurosurgeons, Sils-Baselgia, January 2003
Neue operative Techniken an der Bandscheibe Methoden, Materialien, Systeme Continuing education course of the orthopedic-radiologic cooperation, Augsburg, Februar 2003
Sinn und Unsinn der Bandscheibenprothese Klinikum Augsburg, Mai 2003
Indikationen für ein dringliches CCT beim polytraumatisierten Patienten Continuing education course for specialised physicians of the BDC, Klinikum Augsburg, March 2004
Chancen und Möglichkeiten „klinischer Patientenpfade“ eine ökonomische und medizinische Betrachtungsweise. Am Beispiel der lumbalen Bandscheibe DGNC April 2004, Cologne
Cervikale dorsale Dekompression nach Frykholm Geschichte, Indikation, OP-Technik, Häufigkeit, Vor- und Nachteile 1. Cervical spine surgery training course, spine section of the DGNC, University of Saarland, Homburg, June 2004
Moderation:
Entzündliche Wirbelsäulenerkrankungen 27. Annual Meeting, spine section of the DGNC, Günzburg, September 2004
Degenerative disease in lumbar spine and its surgical options for treatment Muscat, Sultanat Oman, April 2005
Neue OP- Verfahren an der cervikalen und lumbalen Bandscheibe Continuing education course of Bayrisches Rotes Kreuz, Aichach, April 2005
„Das Kreuz mit dem Kreuz!“ Neues und Altbewährtes in der Therapie des Bandscheibenvorfalles. Klinikum Augsburg, June 2005
Klinische Patientenpfade am Beispiel der HWS-Prothese Motion Roundtable 19.09.2005, LMU Munich
Moderne Verfahren zur Behandlung des Rückenschmerzes. Laser, PRT, Endoskopie, interspinöse Implantate, IDET, Katetherverfahren und vieles mehr… 24. Continuing education meeting of the DGNC, Seeheim-Jugenheim 23.-26. Nov. 2005
3rd Annual PoleStar User Meeting, 01.-03. Feb. 2006 Denver, Colorado, USA
Behandlung eines rupturierten Aneurysma des Ramus communicans anterior bei Vorliegeneiner weiteren Anastomose der Aa cerebri anteriores DGNC 57. Annual Meeting, Essen 11.-14.Mai 2006
Dorsal Microforaminotomy - A Keyhole Approach to Cervikal Spine 1. German - Omani Neurosurgery Conference December 2006, Muscat, Sultanat Oman
Neue minimal invasive Verfahren an der Halswirbelsäule November 2007, Klinikum Augsburg
Organisation and lead of the „Ski and Spine“ in collaboration with the DSV spine diseases and skiing, January 2008, Spitzingsee
Direction of the Activ C Instructional Course 10 July 2008 Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Faculty Member, International Spine Conference, Prince Court Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Annual Meeting of the Neurological Assosiation, Malaysia, 11/12 July 2008
Faculty Member, ASSET Vienna 15-18 July 2008 (Aesculap Spine Staff Educational Training)
ALIF, PLIF, TLIF und XLIF, Indikationen und Kontroversen 1. spine surgery training course of the NCFAW and the spine section workgroup of DGNC, 5.-6. September 2008, Hannover, department of anatomy MHH
Book chapters
Zervikale Mikroforaminotomie [cervical microforaminotomy]
A.Helmbrecht, V. Heidecke in Börm/Meyer (eds): Spinale Neurochirurgie, Schattauer-Verlag 2008, Stuttgart-New York
Zervikale Prothese [cervical prosthesis]
V. Heidecke, A. Helmbrecht, N. Rainov in Börm/Meyer (eds): Spinale Neurochirurgie, Schattauer-Verlag 2008, Stuttgart-New York
Work as visiting surgeon
Bangkok, Military Hospital, Neurosurgery, Thailand 2/2003
Charlottesville, University of Virginia, Neurosurgery, USA 12/2004
Further qualifications
- DSV-skiing instructor since 1984
- Ski tour guide since 1995
- High altitude medicine
- Technical qualification radiation protection
- Technical qualification laser protection
