Treatment in Milan (Italy)

Prof. Bruno Bernardini is the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital. 

Medical areas of interest:

Rehabilitation in acute-subacute phase of disabled patients for neurological diseases (stroke, cranial-encephalic and medullary trauma, tumors of the nervous system, neuropathies). Hospital risk of fragile elderly patients. Orthogeriatrics.

Research areas of interest:
Post-operative rehabilitation indicators and process-outcome measures for patient prognostic stratification and clinical performance evaluation. 

He is the coordinator of a multicentre study for the application of process-outcome indicators in rehabilitation. The study involves hospital and extra-hospital facilities in Lombardy, Liguria and other regions of Central and Northern Italy.

Previous experience:

2005-2007 Galliera Hospital Authority, Genoa, Italy

Director of the Functional Recovery structure.

Member of the work group for defining the Regional Plan of rehabilitation work 2006-2009 in the Liguria region.

Evaluation, treatment and facilitation of care processes in patients in Neurology, Intensive Care, Neuro-surgery, Intermediate Care, Orthopaedic and Home Care. 

Outpatient work as a physiatric specialist, with a specific sector on the rehabilitation of the pelvic floor.

Development of processes in diagnostic and therapeutic hospital care (especially lumbar-sciatica, joint replacements, cardiac failure, femur fractures and most fast-track urological operations).

1988-1995 Hospital of Niguarda, Milan, Italy
Visiting doctor at the Centre for High Specialisation in Allergology and Clinical Immunology with full-time specialisation in the Department of Pneumology Piazza.

Teaching experience: Medicine Professor at the University of Genoa.

Scientific activities: Member of the board of directors and Geriatric area contact person at “Italian Urodynamic Society Continence, Neuro-Urology, Pelvic Floor”

Prof. Antonio Costanzo is the Dermatology Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital. He graduated with his MD degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Rome, La Sapienza in 1994. He then went on to complete post-graduate study and received a speciality degree in Internal Medicine in 1999 and a Dermatology speciality degree in 2006.

Medical areas of interest:

• Inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases (Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, Alopecia Areata, Chronic Urticaria, Suppurative Hydroadenitis, Scleroderma, Lupus)
• Personalized Medicine, Biological Psoriasis Therapy
• Dermatological Oncology (Melanoma, Actinic Keratosis, Basocellular and Spinocellular Epitheliomas).
• Prevention of skin neoplasms (dermatoscopy, computer mapping of moles).
• Dermatological surgery

Previous experience:

• Director of Dermatology Unit at Sant’Andrea Hospital in Vercelli
• University Researcher/Hospital Assistant at Tor Vergata Hospital 

Research areas of interest: 

• Psoriasis pathogenesis of other inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases
• Pathogenesis of skin neoplasms
• Genetic disorders of the skin

His clinical research is focused on the characterization of the activity of biologics in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This research is strictly linked to basic research activity on the pathogenesis of psoriasis and on the use of pharmacogenetic approach to predict the efficacy and safety of biologics in psoriasis.

In the past, Professor Costanzo has collaborated to the characterization of basic mechanisms of TNF inflammatory signalling in epithelial cells and NFkappaB regulation by different stimuli. More recently his research group has collaborated to the discovery of IL-21 as critical mediator of keratinocyte proliferation in psoriasis. Professor Costanzo has authored or co-authored more than 120 publications in internationally peer-reviewed journals.

Teaching experience: Full Professor of Dermatology at Humanitas University

Publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Costanzo+A 

Prof. Alessio Michele Goffredo Aghemo is the Hepatology Unit Director in Humanitas research Hospital.

Medical areas of interest: 

• liver diseases
• viral hepatitis
• metabolic hepatitis
• liver cirrhosis

Previous experience: 

From 2007 to 2017 he was the 1st level Medical Director at the U.O of Gastroenterology of the IRCCS Foundation Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan.

Research areas of interest: 

Clinical and research activity focused on natural history and treatment of viral hepatitis.

He is the author of 155 peer-reviewed publications (Impact Factor total 1151.3, H-Index 25 according to Scopus, H-Index 20 last 5 years Scopus, H-Index 30 according to Google Scholar) (updated September 2017).

From 2013 to 2016 he was a scientific member of the governing board of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

Since 2016 he is a member of the scientific committee of the European Association of Gastroenterology (UEG).

He is a member of the AISF (Italian Association for the Study of the Liver) commission for antiviral drugs directed against HCV (2012-present). Since 2016 he has been the coordinator of the same. 

He was AIFA/EMEA expert for liver disease since 2008.

Member of the Executive Committee of the HCV Regional Network, determined by the Lombardy Region on 28 September 2015.

He participated as an expert in the drafting of the European Guidelines 2013-2014-2015-2016-2017 (EASL) and Italian (AISF) on the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C.

Teaching experience:

He is associated professor of Gastroenterology at Humanitas University since September 2017.

Prof. Alessandro Castagna is the Orthopedic Surgery of the Shoulder and Elbow Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital. He performs both traditional surgeries and arthroscopic surgeries. He developed experience in arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder in the United States where he studied at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute, under the guidance of Dr. Stephen J. Snyder (famous shoulder surgeon, inventor and co-developer of surgical tools for shoulder arthroscopy).

Prof. Castagna gained experience in open surgery of the shoulder under the guidance of Prof. Mario Randelli, founder and past-president of the Italian Society for Surgery of the Shoulder, in Milan (Italy). He has specialized almost exclusively in shoulder surgery for more than 25 years and counts over 40.000 cases in his career. He carries out about 900 surgeries per year, including total shoulder prostheses, reverse prostheses, open and arthroscopic stabilization, rotator cuff repair and proximal humerus fractures.

Research areas of interest: 

Improvement of surgical and therapeutic methods of shoulder pathology. He gives particular attention to the study of biological and functional aspects with the development of surgical techniques, materials and dedicated tools. 

Teaching experience: Adjunct Professor at the Orthopedics Course of Specialization in Diseases of the Locomotor System at the University of L'Aquila.

Scientific activity: 

Prof. Castagna was president of European Society for Surgery of the Shoulder and the Elbow (ESSSE/SECEC) (www.secec.org) from 2012 to 2014 and president of Italian Society for Surgery of the Shoulder and Elbow (SICS&G) (www.sicseg.it) from 2010 to 2012. He is also a Member of the Board di International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ICSES, www.icses.org) nominated for the period from 2013 to 2022.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=castagna+alessandro

Prof. Alberto Albanese is the Neurology Unit Director at Humanitas Research Hospital. Until recently – Department Head of Neuroscience at the Institute of Neurology Carlo Besta (Milan). In 1977 prof. Albanese received his degree in medicine and surgery, in 1981 – in neurology, and in 1985 – in psychiatry. His professional experience began with the founding of the Department of “disorders of Parkinson’s and violations of the musculoskeletal system” at the clinic “A. Gemelli “in Rome in 1984, which he led until 1996. From 1996 to 2000 prof. Albanese was the Head of the Neurological University Clinic of Lausanne (Switzerland) and a professor of Neurology in the University.

From 2000 to 2015 he was Head of Neuroscience Department at the Institute of Neurology Carlo Besta (Milan).

Prof. Albanese is a professor of neurology at the Institute of Neurology at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Milan), Director of the post-graduate course “Diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders and degenerative neurological diseases” at the Foundation Neurological Institute “C. Besta”, as well as an adjunct professor at the School of Specialization in Neuroscience at the University of Milan Bicocca.

Prof. Albanese is the president of “Italian Association of Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders” and “Italian Association for the Study of the autonomic nervous system” (which are part of “Italian Community of Neuroscience”). He is also an honorary member of the “French Community of Neuroscience.” The professor is a moderator and speaker at major national and international neurological conferences, he organized several symposia dedicated to Neurology, collaborates with numerous national and international research centers, which are studying Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders and degenerative neurological diseases. Prof. Albanese has been repeatedly receiving research fundings from the following government agencies: the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science and Research, National Research Council, the British Council, the Swiss National Research Council.

He is one of the greatest Italian experts on the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases and movement disorders, Parkinson.

He has extensive experience in the use of neurostimulation of brain neurological movement disorders, for treating Parkinson’s disease and other involuntary movements.

He developed the first Italian project on the study of genetic disease and Parkinson’s dystonia, which led to the discovery of two new genetic loci. Also prof. Albanese is actively engaged in research in the field of semiotics detailed definition of involuntary movements, which allows tracking of related clinical pathology for accurate diagnosis of patients with movement disorders.

Prof. Albanese has published more than 200 scientific papers, most of which are published in indexed journals (with a total impact factor>500), is the author of one monograph, 3 books and co-author of numerous books and publications. He is the chief editor of “Frontiers in Movement Disorders” and assistant editor of the “European Journal of Neuroscience”.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=albanese a

Prof. Stefano Respizzi is the Head of the Rehabilitation and Functional Recovery Unit in Humanitas Research Hospital. He is specialized in orthopaedic rehabilitation and sport rehabilitation. In 1986, with some colleagues, he founded the Sports Medical Centre of Sesto San Giovanni. In 1988 he founded the GISMI (Italian Group of Study of Isokinetic Method), where he is also an advisor. 

Medical areas of interest: orthopaedic rehabilitation, traumatology and sports rehabilitation, sports medicine, physical therapy

Research areas of interest: orthopaedic rehabilitation, sports medicine, orthopaedics

Previous experience:  

• 1991-1996 Orthopaedic Institute of Gaetano Pini, Italy
  Assistant Physiatrist
• 1991-1991 Hospital of the Piemonte region , Italy
  Specialist doctor in sports medicine
   

In 1986, with some colleagues from Milan, he founded the Centro Medico Sportivo of Sesto San Giovanni, a facility recognized by Lombardia Region and dedicated to the release of certificates of fitness for practicing competitive sports.

He has been a consultant for the Italian Volleyball Federation.
In 1988 he founded GISMI (Gruppo Italiano Studio Metodiche Isokinetiche).
In 2002 he became managing director of Isokinetic Milano, one of the centers of the network of Isokinetic Sports Rehabilitation Centers.

Prof. Simona Marcheselli has graduated at the University of Pavia and carried out her specialisation in neuro-pathophysiology. She is the Emergency Neurology and Stroke Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital.

She is specialised in the treatment and prevention of cerebrovascular diseases. Her main specialties are Cerebral-vascular diseases, brain tumors, epilepsy, and headaches. Prof. Simona Marcheselli treats both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in the acute phase and its complications. Specific areas of interest are those related to secondary and primary prevention of cerebrovascular disease and post-stroke epilepsy.

She is also a professor at the nursing school of Humanitas University.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=marcheselli%s

Prof. Romano Lutman is the Head Oncological and interventional radiology Unit.

Medical areas of interest: 
diagnostic and interventional oncology, in particular linked to percutaneous imaging-guided procedures.
He has performed over 3000 CT guided lung biopsies and numerous international trials on anticancer drugs.

Research areas of interest: 
advanced oncological diagnostics. Percutaneous minimally invasive imaging-guided diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in oncology.

Previous experience:  
- 1991-1996 Orthopaedic Institute of Gaetano Pini, Italy
Assistant Physiatrist
- 1991-1991 Hospital of the Piemonte region , Italy
Specialist doctor in sports medicine

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=lutman r

Dr. Paolo Omodei is the Unit Director of the Autonomous section of Clinical Gastroenterology.

He graduated with honors in the academic year 1988-89 at the Università degli studi of Milan. He specialized in Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy in 1994. Winner of the competition for PhD in Research in Clinical Methodology in the academic year 1994-95. In 1996 he won the public competition for Assistant at the Gastroenterology Service of the Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital in Milan. He held this post until June 1997. From 1997 to 1999 he held the position of Assistant at the Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit of Humanitas Clinical Institute, directed by prof. Alberto Malesci. From 2000 to 2006, he held the position of Assistant of the Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit of the Humanitas Clinical Institute. Since 2006 he has been Head of the Section of Emergency Gastroenterology and Head of Gastroenterology at the Humanitas Clinical Institute. He is Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Milan.

1996-1997 Hospital of Niguarda, Milan, Italy
Assistant in the Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Services directed by Prof. Raffaele Arcidiacono

1987-1996 Polyclinic Hospital, Milan, Italy
Specialising in Gastroenterology in the Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy service of the Institute of Internal Medicine directed by Prof. Nicola Dioguardi.
Volunteer medical specialist in the Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy service in the Institute of Internal Medicine directed by Prof. Nicola Dioguardi.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Omodei P

Dr. Nunzio Paolo Nuzzi has graduated at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan) and carried out his specialisation in neuroradiology. He is the Unit director of Interventional radiology at Humanitas Research Hospital.

Medical areas of interest: interventional neuroradiology, cerebrovascular diseases, ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke, brain aneurysms, brain and spinal arteriovenous malformations and arterial-venous fistulas (AVF), intracranial stenosis and neck stenosis.

Research areas of interest: new biomedical devices for the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. Clinical research on minimally invasive endovascular procedures.

Prof. Marco Montorsi is the Director of the Department of General and digestive surgery unit in Humanitas Research Hospital and he is Professor of General Surgery at the Humanitas University. His academic career started in the the Humanitas University of Milan, where he entered in 1980 as Assistant Professor and was appointed as Professor of Surgery in 2001.

His main interests are in the field of digestive diseases and in the surgical treatment of the related pathologies, mainly hepatico-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) and colorectal pathologies. He is indeed the Director of the Department of Surgery in Humanitas Research Hospital where a great volume of major abdominal surgeries is routinely performed. Around 250 -300 hepatic and pancreatic resections and 350 colorectal resections.
He began performing laparoscopic colorectal surgery in the early 90s and gained a lot of experience in this field. The vast majority of colorectal tumours diagnosed in the department of Surgery is submitted to laparoscopic resection thus allowing a smooth and safe disease course. A robotic approach with the new Da Vinci equipment is now available for patients with rectal tumours.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) with dedicated instruments is also offered to selected patient with low-sited rectal tumours so sparing major abdominal approach.

A routine policy of strict interaction with the Dept. of Oncology is active for patients needing a perioperative chemo- and radiotherapy with the aim of full integration for a better care and results.

Prof. Marco Montorsi is also Humanitas University President with over 10 years of experience in didactic and clinic teaching to medical students.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=montorsi+marco

Dr. Lucia Torracca is leading the Cardiac Surgery Unit at Humanitas Research Hospital. She received her training at Ospedali Civili di Brescia and at Ospedale San Raffaele with Professor Ottavio Alfieri, were she improved her knowledge in the mitral disease focusing in the reparative and preservative approaches. At the same institution she led the minimal invasive and robotic division before moving to Ospedali Riuniti Di Ancona to be chief of the Cardiac Surgery Complex Unit. Dr. Torracca has performed more than 55 hundred cardiac surgeries. Thanks to her surgical and academic curriculum, she has been an active member of the steering committee of the European Society editing Guidelines for the treatment of heart diseases.

Together with her team in Humanitas, she can approach every cardiac disease affecting adults, especially focusing on the minimal invasive approach to reparative valve disease. State of the art technologies are regularly explored and implemented in the Open Heart dedicated Operating Room and Intensive Care Unit to ensure best outcomes, shorter hospital stay and fewer surgical complications.

The surgical expertise of Dr. Torracca go from open heart circulatory-arrest procedure to off-pump and/or trans-catheter procedures (MitraClip or TransApical Aortic Valve Implants).

Dr. Torracca and her team can claim the highest rate of mitral valve repair in Bi-leaflet prolapse (Barlow Disease) hitting almost 99% of conservative approach in minimal invasiveness at the time of surgery, maintaining >95% success rate at long term follow up: this option is further advantageous in the youngest patient population allowing restrain from anticoagulation therapy and perfectly normal quality of life.

Author or co-author of 151 publications in national and international scientific journals.

Prof. Leonardo Maradei is specialised in orthopaedics and traumatology and is the Director of the Foot Surgery and Minimally Invasive Operations Unit in Humanitas Research Hospital. 

Prof. Leonardo Maradei performs surgery on the foot with minimally invasive techniques and arthroscopic surgery. After his specialization he deepened his studies in arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and the knee at the Mississippi Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center (USA), under the guidance of prof. F. H. Savoie. He has developed considerable experience in shoulder prosthetic surgery as a pupil of prof. Mario Randelli. 
His research is focused on the development of new prosthetic materials for the shoulder. During his years in Humanitas he has performed more than 2000 surgeries on the foot, more than 1000 on the knee and more than a 1000 on the shoulder. 

Dr. Maradei is a professor at Università Statale of Milan where he teaches Medicine and Surgery - Lessons on minimally invasive surgery of the shoulder and knee.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=maradei+leonardo

Dr. Bernhard Reimers – Clinical and Invasive Cardiology Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital, was born in Germany. He graduated in medicine and surgery in University of Padua (Italy) in 1990, followed by specialization in Cardiology. During the first 3 years of specialization in Cardiology in the Coronary Unit of Padua University, his particular interests were in managing cardiovascular urgency and critical patients, including management of fans, balloon pump, hemofiltration, temporary pacing, placement of central venous pathways and Swan-Ganz catheter. He spent his last year of specialization at the Hemodynamics of Casa di Cura Columbus (Milan), where he acquired his knowledge on the main diagnostic techniques he uses. After a short period of study at the Thoraxcenter of Rotterdam, during which he wrote his first scientific publications, Dr. Reimers has dedicated himself to hemodynamics and cardiovascular surgeries, working as Unit Director main assistant, executing angioplasty, coronary and peripheral procedures, reaching complete autonomy in coronary stenting, atherectomy, ultrasound intravascular and intracoronary doppler.

Since September 1997 he has managed and developed the diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular program at the Department of Cardiology of Mirano (Venice), where, thanks to his achievements, since 2000 the highest number of coronary angioplasties were performed. In 2006 the Unit has performed 975 coronary angioplasties (including 125 primary), more than 400 carotid angioplasty and peripherals. Dr. Reimers became Unit Director and has trained and taught a young team of interventional cardiologists, including 4 completely independent in the performance of coronary angioplasty, which manages both hemodynamics and largely the CCU in close collaboration between the two services. After this important experience, he was invited to be part of Humanitas Research Hospital as Clinical and Invasive Cardiology Unit Director.

Dr. Reimers participates in many scientific studies on the treatment of myocardial infarction considering new interventional or pharmaceutical approaches for primary angioplasty. He was also member of the Technical Commission of the Regional Bid for the purchase of stents. Thanks to Dr. Reimers’ efforts, Hemodynamics of Mirano (Venice) is considered reference center for primary angioplasty and elective complex procedures. Dr. Reimers is considered to be one of the leading experts of carotid angioplasty worldwide. He is preparing a program for interventional treatment of acute stroke. He performs routine renal angioplasty and implants percutaneous devices and endoprosthesis systems for aortic aneurysms.

Dr. Reimers has published, as author or co-author, 77 articles quoted in Medline. The impact factor calculated based on 2006 is 263. He published 9 book chapters and several abstracts for important international conferences dedicated to Cardiology, such as TCT, PCR, National GISE ANMCO, JIM and ESC, were he also performed live invasive procedures.

Dr. Reimers has always considered participation in clinical trials and scientific international events among the main activities of his professional carrier. Besides teaching at University of Tor Vergata in Rome, he organizes many conferences, national and international medical follow-up courses. For over 9 years he has been organizing theoretical and practical courses with lectures and transmission of live procedures in Venice. He has so far organized two editions of TOBI, international meeting dedicated to invasive treatment of total coronary occlusions and bifurcations, three editions of ETI, international conference and the largest in Italy, dedicated to invasive cardiology devices. 

Dr. Reimers was member of the scientific committee in the editions of 2006 and 2007 of National Convention GISE (Italian Group of Hemodynamic Study) and participated at important events dedicated to CAPTURE study, ESIRIUS, SYNTAX, TIMI 38, FINESSE and many others.

Publications: ttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=bernhard