EN
The hand forgives less than almost any other part of the body. Tendons, nerves, vessels and a dozen and a half joints meet in a small area, and an error of a few millimetres can cost someone their trade or their independence. That is why in Germany hand surgery is not a sub-branch of trauma surgery but a speciality of its own with its own training.
Who he is and where he practises
Prof. Dr med. Elias Volkmer is chief physician of the clinic for hand surgery at Helios Klinikum München West in the Pasing district of Munich. He came there in 2017 to head the hand surgery service, and since 2021 he has led the independent clinic built on it. The medical faculty of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich made him an adjunct professor — he was previously listed as a Privatdozent, and that is what older pages still say.
By training he is a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon with additional qualification in hand surgery. The German Society for Hand Surgery (DGH) has awarded him its expert certificate in the speciality. Before Pasing he worked at the LMU University Hospital — in trauma surgery in the city centre and in orthopaedics at Großhadern.
What he does specifically
His field is complex injuries and disorders of the hand and forearm: fractures of the wrist and fingers, including those that have healed badly after earlier treatment; ruptured tendons and ligaments; nerve compression, most commonly carpal tunnel syndrome with numb fingers; arthritis of the joints of the hand and thumb; and Dupuytren’s contracture, in which the fingers gradually lose the ability to straighten. A field of its own is reconstruction after injuries and unsuccessful operations, and replacement of the small joints.
Much of this is done through small accesses under magnification, and some procedures under local anaesthetic as day surgery. An important part of the treatment begins after the operation: without proper hand rehabilitation even a flawlessly performed procedure will not give back the movement, so the recovery plan is discussed in advance.
How we arrange an appointment
We translate and send the clinic your images, the reports of earlier operations and a description of exactly what the hand has stopped being able to do — with the hand, that is worth almost more than the images. The clinic replies whether a consultation in person makes sense. Then we agree a date, help with the invitation for the visa, and provide an interpreter at the appointment and on the day of the operation. The clinic issues the invoice and payment goes directly to it at its own rates.
This material is for information only and does not replace a consultation with a doctor. Whether treatment is possible, what it will involve and what it will achieve can be determined only after an examination at the clinic in person. The doctor’s availability and the practical arrangements are confirmed at the time of your enquiry.