EN
People rarely come to a spine surgeon straight away. First months of physiotherapy, injections, “wear a brace”, then an MRI showing a disc herniation — and two flatly contradictory pieces of advice: operate at once, and on no account operate. Working out which of those groups a particular person belongs to is the main job of a spinal neurosurgeon.
Who he is and where he operates
Dr med. Samer Ismail is a specialist in neurosurgery working in spinal surgery. He founded and runs his own centre — the Wirbelsäulenzentrum München-Ost, the “Munich East spine centre”, in the town of Haar on the eastern edge of Munich. He operates at the Dr. Lubos Kliniken in Munich’s Bogenhausen district, where he is responsible for neurosurgery and spinal surgery.
This differs from what older pages say: he used to work at the Munich East orthopaedic centre (OZMO), and before that at a neurosurgical clinic in Cottbus. He set up his own centre later. The German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC) has certified him as a spinal neurosurgeon — a separate formal qualification specifically for the spine, not the general speciality.
What he does specifically
His field is the whole spine, from the neck to the sacrum, with an emphasis on gentle methods: disc herniations, narrowing of the spinal canal (stenosis), instability and slipping of vertebrae, the after-effects of injury, and pain following earlier operations. Some procedures are done through small accesses under a microscope or an endoscope: less damage to the muscles, a shorter recovery. Where it is justified, a disc prosthesis that preserves movement in the segment is used instead of rigid fixation.
A substantial part of the consultation is precisely the conversation about not operating. The German approach to the spine is conservative: non-surgical options are exhausted first, and an operation is discussed when the pain persists despite treatment, or when there are neurological deficits — weakness, numbness, loss of function.
How we arrange an appointment
We translate your medical records — above all MRI and CT scans of the spine with their reports — and send them to the doctor, and get a preliminary view: whether a consultation in person is indicated and which examinations will have to be repeated on site. Then we agree a date, prepare the documents for the visa, and provide an interpreter at the appointment and in the hospital. The hospital 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 an operation is indicated, what it will involve and what it will achieve can be determined only after an examination in person. The doctor’s availability and the practical arrangements are confirmed at the time of your enquiry.