Walter Klepetko
- Specialization: Thoracic surgeon
- 48 years of experience
- Speaks:German, English
- Workplace: Austria, Vienna, Wiener Privatklinik (WPK)
- Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna
Dr. Walter Klepetko is a thoracic surgeon at Wiener Privatklinik in Vienna. He heads the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna. He performed one of Austria’s first lung transplants. Dr. Klepetko is a pioneer in thoracic oncology and complex transplantation medicine.
- Founded the Vienna Lung Transplant Program, performing over 100 transplants annually.
- Co-developed the surgical technique for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in transplants.
- Led the surgical team for Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda’s lung transplant.
- Specializes in lobectomy, lung segmentectomy, and thymoma treatment.
Patient reviews
Doctor's services
- Lung transplant
- Lobectomy
- Lung cancer surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy for lung cancer
- Immunotherapy for lung cancer
- Radiotherapy for lung cancer
- Lung segmentectomy
- PET/CT
- MRI of one area
- CT (computer tomography)
- Tumor Marker Blood Test
- Biopsy
- Cancer screening
- Lung biopsy
- Online consultation with Surgeon
- Online Consultation with Thoracic Surgeon
How are we doing?
Qualifications
Prof. Dr. Walter Klepetko is a thoracic surgeon known for his work in lung transplantation and thoracic oncology. He directs the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna. The specialist performed one of Austria’s first lung transplants in 1989.
Specialization and Clinical Focus
Dr. Klepetko treats complex thoracic diseases, specializing in lung cancer and thymoma. He uses minimally invasive techniques and extended surgical procedures. The surgeon also performs lung transplantation for patients with advanced lung failure. He co-developed the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technique for heart-lung transfers. This technology provides life support for patients with severe respiratory failure — a machine that pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside the body.
Lung Transplantation Leadership
Dr. Klepetko founded the Vienna Lung Transplant Program in 1989. This initiative grew into a large center. His team performs over 100 transplants annually. In 2018, he led the successful lung transplant for Niki Lauda. The doctor works with neighboring countries to improve donor organ availability. Additionally, he joined ten former patients on a climb to Kilimanjaro in 2017.
Professional Experience
- Current — Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna
- Current — Consultant and Professor, Wiener Privatklinik
- Current — Director of the Lung Transplantation Program, Vienna General Hospital (AKH)
- 2000s — Appointed Head of Thoracic Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna
- 1980s — Completed specialist training at Vienna General Hospital
Education and Training
Completeled advanced training as an international fellow at:
- 1978 — Medical Degree, University of Vienna, Austria
- Specialist Training — Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vienna, Austria
- Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
- Toronto General Hospital, Canada
- Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
- Papworth Hospital Cambridge, UK
Surgical Procedures Performed
- Lung transplantation
- Lobectomy and lung segmentectomy — surgical removal of a large or small section of the lung
- Lung cancer surgery
- Thymoma removal — surgery to remove a tumor in the thymus gland
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
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