Diseases of the spine - Interdisciplinary challenge

The spine is the concern of orthopaedic surgeons, traumatologists and neurosurgeons. By conservative and surgical means orthopaedic medicine is primarily dealing with deformities, infections and tumours of the spine. The cooperation with radiologists, anaesthetists, neurologists, pathologists and physiotherapists is essential. This paper gives an overview over the frequent and important diseases of the spine, i. e. spina bifida, spondylolisthesis, Scheuermann kyphosis, degenerative disc disease, stenosis of the lumbar canal, ankylosing spondylitis, tumours and metastases, osteoporosis and scoliosis. Modern therapeutical concepts are briefly presented.