Best orthopedists in Italy: TOP 20 doctors

Dr. Roberto Danchise is a top orthopedic surgeon. He specializes in traumatology and knee surgery. He performed Italy’s first meniscus transplant. He has completed over 16,000 arthroscopic procedures and more than 2,100 knee replacements. His skills cover orthopedic surgery, sports injuries, joint diseases, and advanced arthroscopic methods.

Dr. Danchise is Chair of the Italian Society for Knee Surgery. He co-founded SIGASCOT and serves on the Lombardy Region Advisory Board for cartilage transplantation. He is a member of ESSKA and ISAKOS. He also founded and is editor-in-chief of the journal Artroscopia e Ginocchio.

Dr. Alessio Lovi is an experienced orthopedic surgeon. He specializes in traumatology and spine surgery for adults and children. He performs advanced procedures such as vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and anterior cervical discectomy. Dr. Lovi also treats scoliosis with both conservative and surgical methods, including endoscopic techniques.

He holds a European Diploma in Spine Treatment. Dr. Lovi is a member of Eurospine and the Italian Society for Spine Surgery. He has published many scientific articles and has made important contributions to research on spinal diseases. He is known for his clinical skill and innovative approach in spine care.

Head of the Orthopedics Department, Orthopedic Surgeon

Prof. Luigi Massimo Zagra is the Head of the Hip Surgery Department I at the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi in Milan.

He is the visiting professor at the School of Specialization in Orthopaedics and Traumatology of the University of Milan.

Prof. Zagra has performed more than 5,000 major orthopaedic operations.

Mainly focused on hip surgery including complex primary, revision (25% of cases), conservative surgery, osteotomies, and pediatric hip diseases arthroplasty.

He performs hip replacement surgery daily for osteoarthritis, particularly in cases of congenital dysplasia, developmental and post-traumatic malformations, rheumatoid arthritis, necrosis in young and old patients, needing special implants to prevent any possible complications. 

Dealing with problems with previously placed implants, in particular material wear and tear, such as in metal-on-metal or old-generation polyethylene prostheses, painful, loose, unstable, infected prostheses, using tissue-safe and non-invasive methods and the latest ceramic and titanium implants, including cemented ones.

He is currently Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the European Hip Society and the Italian Hip Society, as well as a member of the Executive Committee of EFORT, of International Committee of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Arthroplasty Registry. 

He is author and co-author of 130 articles published in national and international journals, as well as invited specialist and speaker at over 500 congresses in Italy and abroad.

Professor Stefano Boriani is a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and author of unique surgical staging system of spinal tumors and tumor resection techniques. He has performed over 3,000 surgical procedures, written over 430 research articles, and invented a carbon fiber system for tumor reconstruction. He is also a professor at the Post-Graduate School of Orthopaedics at the University of Bologna, and a honorary member of several spine societies. He is also the founder of a non-profit association in Mozambique which supports medical activities and trains local surgeons.

Orthopedist, Oncologist, Specialist in osteosarcoma treatment

Orthopedic Surgeon

Spine Surgeon

Dr. Roberto Bassani has performed over 2,500 major spinal surgical operations in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.

Dr. Lolli is a highly accomplished orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery, with over two decades of expertise in treating complex spinal conditions. Graduating with top honors in Medicine and Surgery from the prestigious University of Bologna in 2004, he further honed his skills by specializing in Orthopedics and Traumatology.

Currently, Dr. Lolli is a key member of the Neurosurgery and Spine Surgery Department at the renowned Maria Cecilia Hospital, where he focuses on advanced treatments for spinal deformities in both teenagers and adults. His extensive background includes over a decade of work at the world-renowned Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, one of Europe’s top orthopedic centers, where he was a spine surgery specialist from 2003 to 2015.

Dr. Lolli’s surgical expertise is reflected in the more than 3.000 spine surgeries he has performed, particularly in correcting vertebral deformities such as scoliosis and kyphosis. His proficiency spans treating both congenital and neuromuscular scoliosis in children and adolescents, using state-of-the-art techniques like growing rods and VEPTR for early onset scoliosis. He is also highly skilled in advanced vertebral resection techniques, including Smith Petersen, Ponte, and pedicle subtraction osteotomies.

In addition to pediatric spine deformities, Dr. Lolli has vast experience addressing degenerative spine conditions, such as herniated discs, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis, using both traditional and cutting-edge non-fusion techniques.

An active member of the AO Spine association, Dr. Lolli contributes to global education and research in spine care. His academic contributions are extensive, with over 30 publications in leading medical journals (Spine, European Spine Journal, The Spine Journal) and more than 100 reports presented at national and international conferences. He has also been a keynote speaker at numerous prestigious events, including the Global Spine Congress and the Bologna Spine Meeting.

Dr. Lolli’s dedication to advancing spine surgery and improving patient outcomes has made him a respected figure in the field, both in Italy and internationally.

Prof. Dr. Luigi Masoni is a general surgeon with 35 years of experience. He specializes in oncology and general surgery. Dr. Masoni is known for his skill in minimally invasive colorectal, proctological, and pelvic floor surgeries. He developed a new bilio-intestinal bypass technique. He also received recognition for performing a total proctocolectomy using a three-trocar method.

Dr. Masoni is active in research and teaching. He served on the Didactic and Scientific Council at the University of Rome 'La Sapienza'. He completed specializations at both 'La Sapienza' and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. This has strengthened his international profile.

Dr. Vincenzo De Santis is the Director of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Complex Operational Unit at Mater Olbia Hospital. He earned his medical degree and a PhD in experimental methodologies and technological applications in Angiology, Vascular Surgery, and Orthopedics from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome.

Dr. De Santis focuses on hip and knee prosthetic surgery, sports traumatology, and arthroscopic knee surgery. He is also skilled in computer-assisted and robotic surgery. He has performed over 5,500 surgical procedures. In more than 2,500 of these, he served as the lead surgeon. This experience shows his strong expertise in both elective orthopedic and trauma surgery.

Since 2009, Dr. De Santis has been involved in academic teaching. He has contributed to orthopedic education at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.