


Herniated disk Treatment in Vienna General Hospital (AKH)
About the clinic
Treatment for a herniated disk at Vienna General Hospital (AKH Wien) in Vienna, Austria, integrates advanced university-level research with specialized clinical care. As the national referral center for complex neurosurgery, the hospital provides specialized expertise for patients with spinal conditions. The facility is ISO 9001 certified and functions as the primary teaching hospital for the Medical University of Vienna.
The neurosurgery department is led by specialists like Ao.Univ.Prof.Dr.med.univ. Gerhard Bavinzski. Ao.Univ.Prof.Dr.med.univ. Bavinzski is an Associate Professor who leads the Endovascular Neurosurgery Outpatient clinic. The hospital operates 56 modern operating theaters and maintains over 1,600 doctors on staff to manage complex spinal cases. Being part of the European University Hospital Alliance, the clinic uses the latest clinical research to guide patient recovery.
Diagnostic options for spinal conditions
Accurate imaging is the first step in managing a herniated disk. The hospital provides specialized radiology services to identify the exact location and severity of the disk protrusion.
- Neuroradiology. This includes high-resolution MRI and CT scans specifically for the nervous system and spine.
- Musculoskeletal radiology. Doctors use these scans to view the interaction between bones, joints, and muscles.
- Ultrasound and X-ray. These conventional imaging tools help assess spinal alignment and movement.
Surgical and conservative treatment methods
The clinic offers both surgical intervention and non-invasive recovery plans. Treatment choices depend on the severity of nerve compression and the patient's lifestyle needs.
- Microdiscectomy. This surgical method removes the portion of the herniated disk that presses on a nerve.
- Nucleoplasty. This procedure uses radiofrequency energy to reduce disk volume and relieve pressure.
- Spinal fusion. Surgeons perform this to stabilize the spine when multiple disks or vertebrae are affected.
- Orthopedic spine surgery. The University Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology manages these procedures, including a dedicated sports orthopedics clinic.
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation. On-site specialists provide occupational medicine and physical therapy to help patients regain mobility after surgery.
Patients receive care in a modern campus rebuilt in 1994, which includes 1,600+ beds for inpatient recovery. The rehabilitation department is located on the same campus, helping patients transition from surgery to active recovery without leaving the facility. You can request a consultation through Bookimed to learn more about the treatment options at AKH Wien.
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Vienna General Hospital (AKH): more details about the clinic
Vienna General Hospital (Allgemeines Krankenhaus, AKH Wien) is the university hospital of the Medical University of Vienna, located in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Emperor Joseph II in 1784 and rebuilt as a modern medical campus opened in 1994, it is run by the City of Vienna and treats patients of every kind, from routine care to the most complex and rare conditions that other hospitals refer here.
A Medical City
Often described as "a city within a city", the AKH campus houses 29 university clinics, 35 clinical departments and hundreds of specialised outpatient clinics under one roof, along with its own laboratories, pharmacy, shops and restaurants. It has 1,691 beds, including large intensive care and intermediate care units, and 56 operating theatres. Around 1,600 doctors and 2,700 nursing staff work here, treating around 630,000 patients each year. Because the hospital and the Medical University of Vienna share the same campus and staff, patients are treated by doctors who are also researchers and university professors in their field.
Cancer Care
Together with the Medical University of Vienna, the AKH runs the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Vienna, which brings every cancer specialty together and treats tumours of all types, including rare and advanced cancers. Diagnosis, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies are coordinated in interdisciplinary tumour boards, and patients can access new treatments through clinical trials that are often not available elsewhere.
Complex Surgery and Transplantation
The AKH is a national referral centre for complex and high-risk surgery across neurosurgery, cardiac and vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, abdominal and cancer surgery, orthopaedics and transplantation. It performs kidney, liver, lung, heart, pancreas and bone-marrow transplants, and its lung transplant programme performs approximately 100 transplants annually.
Research and Innovation
As a university hospital, the AKH combines patient care with medical research and teaching. Many diagnostic and treatment methods used worldwide today were developed here, and its close link to the Medical University of Vienna means patients benefit from the latest scientific advances. A new Center for Translational Medicine on the campus further strengthens the path from laboratory research to patient treatment.
Recognition
The AKH is a member of the European University Hospital Alliance, a network of university hospitals in Europe focused on highly specialised medicine and research. Its guiding words, taken from its foundation in 1784, are "Saluti et solatio aegrorum" — for the healing and comfort of the sick.
International Patients
The hospital treats patients from Austria and abroad, with an information centre to help with enquiries and orientation on the large campus.
Additional services
Patient reviews
View 19 reviewsAnonymous • Consultation with an ophthalmologist Ukraine
I liked the doctor
Anonymous • Neurology Romania
"Short but encouraging and 'productive' I would say
Anonymous • Consultation with a gastroenterologist Austria
Андрей • Melanoma
The results were very satisfactory
Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Wien, Austria
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