Your specialists for knee and hip osteoarthritis

Make an appointment

The articon medical team has specialized in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis for over 10 years. We have extensive experience and have established ourselves as a national reference center for knee and hip prostheses.

We routinely use the latest robot-assisted surgical procedures to minimize complications and increase patient safety. Thanks to minimally invasive techniques and optimized rehabilitation concepts, your knee and hip are fully weight-bearing after the operation so that you are quickly mobile again.

Get to know our specialists

PD Dr. med. Tilman Calliess

Dr. Calliess has been part of the articon team since 2018 and was also appointed Medical Director of the Bern Prosthetics Centre in 2022. He previously worked for 12 years at the Annastift Orthopaedic University Clinic in Hanover, including periods abroad in Australia and Austria. In Hanover, Dr. Calliess was team leader in the Clinic for Prosthetics and Reconstructive Joint Surgery. He was one of the first surgeons in Europe to start using robotic assistance in the operating theater back in 2016.

Dr. med. Carlo Theus-Steinmann

Dr. Theus-Steinmann has been a senior physician in the articon medical team since July 2023. He trained as a specialist in orthopaedics and traumatology in Lucerne and Winterthur and, after successfully completing his training, spent a year on a fellowship in knee and hip prosthetics in Melbourne, Australia. He has already worked intensively with MAKO technology there and is a perfect fit for our team.

Dr. med. Bernhard Christen, M.H.A.

Dr. Christen, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon with over 30 years of experience, is the founder of the practice. Between 2012 and 2014, he was President of the Swiss Orthopaedic Society (Swiss Orthopaedics). Although he no longer performs operations at the articon practice, he remains an important part of the team as a valued consultant. With his expertise, he continues to support the practice in complex issues and in its strategic direction.

Our expertise

Where high-tech meets experience!

Knee prosthetics

Our core competence is the conservative and surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis. With over 350 knee prosthesis implantations and over 50 prosthesis replacements per year, we have extensive experience in this field.

Hip prosthetics

We are one of two specialized centers in Switzerland that routinely perform this operation using a minimally invasive and robot-assisted technique for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis.

Mako technology

MAKO technology is a robot-assisted surgical system that optimizes surgical planning and execution. This increases patient safety, reduces the risk of complications and promotes faster rehabilitation after the procedure.

Optimal recovery

Our Optimal Recovery Program is an interdisciplinary rehabilitation concept to ensure that the healing process runs smoothly. The aim is to enable patients to return to everyday life quickly and increase their satisfaction.

Robot-assisted knee and hip prosthesis

Proven everyday life at articon

This impressive video shows one of our Mako operations. Learn from our specialists how this state-of-the-art robotic technology works. Detailed three-dimensional planning is carried out before the operation. During the operation, the MAKO robot supports the surgeon in the exact implementation of this plan and provides objective data to optimize the position of the prosthesis. Our patients can benefit from this.

Learn more

What is important to us

articon 4-eyes principle

At articon, you are not only treated by one specialist, but practically always by two. All difficult medical decisions are regularly discussed by our medical team and the individual therapy is determined together. Every decision for an operation must withstand the critical eye of the others and be well-founded. As a rule, we even operate together to ensure the highest quality and a smooth procedure. This “four-eyes principle” is crucial for the quality of our treatment and makes a significant contribution to patient safety.

Optimized, interdisciplinary treatment standards and transparent quality

The articon practice is a founding member of the Bern Prosthetics Center – an association of 4 prosthesis specialists and the Hirslanden clinics in Bern. We are the first certified center in Switzerland to specialize exclusively in knee and hip prosthetics. Our aim is to further increase patient safety and optimize care at all stages of treatment. We have jointly defined scientifically based treatment standards and implement them in an interdisciplinary team. We also hold weekly case conferences to continuously improve our quality.

Further information can be found on the website of the Bern Prosthetic Center

www.prothetikzentrum.ch

Osteoarthritis and meniscus tears: surgery is not always necessary!

Osteoarthritis or a meniscus tear does not always have to be operated on straight away. If you wait and carry out alternative, non-surgical therapies first, this usually has no negative effect on the disease and long-term prognosis. Pain relief can often be achieved with physiotherapy, nutritional supplements, shoe inserts and knee supports or knee braces. Infiltration therapy is an option for acute inflammatory pain.

We will be happy to advise you personally during consultation hours.

articon second opinion consultation

Our team of doctors has specialized in knee and hip joint prostheses for over 10 years. In addition to 500 initial implantations, we also carry out over 50 prosthesis replacements per year. For this reason, we have a great deal of experience in the assessment of joint complaints and treatment options – even after previous operations.

Sometimes it can make sense to wait and see before performing an operation. In some cases, a partial prosthesis is also a possible option instead of a total prosthesis. We have also developed a diagnostic algorithm to get to the bottom of the problem of a painful joint prosthesis after an operation has already been performed.

If you are still unsure about a treatment recommendation or continue to have symptoms after an operation, you are welcome to come to the consultation for a second assessment. We will take the time to thoroughly review your medical history and give you a well-founded and competent recommendation.