Department of Cardiac and Thorax Surgery

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Rüdiger Autschbach

Head: Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Rüdiger Autschbach

Contact - Administrative office: Gabriele Heuschen

Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen

phone: +49 241 80-89221
fax: +49 241 80-82454
e-mail: herzchirurgie@ukaachen.de
web: www.herzchirurgie.ukaachen.de

At a glance

Medical Services
• Total cardiosurgery for adult patients Microsurgery
• Endoscopic surgeries (OPCAB, MIDCAB, mitral valves-MIC, aortic valves-MIC) on the heart
• Heart valve reconstruction rhythm surgery (ablation, defibrillator, pacemaker etc.)
• Heart transplants, heart insufficiency surgery incl. assist devices (extracorporeal artificial hearts)
• Total thorax surgery (incl. endoscopic surgeries), i.e. surgery of the thorax, lungs, pleura and the mediastina

Key aspects of research
• Research of new endoscopic surgical procedures
• Heart supporting systems
• Stem cell therapy


Professor Autschbach has been in charge of the department of cardiac and thorax surgery since August 2001. He studied human medicine in Bonn and later on worked in Düsseldorf, Göttingen and Leipzig. In Leipzig he was promoted to professor in the field of cardiovascular surgery and was lastly assistant medical director there at the Heart Centre Leipzig. His medical expertise lies in heart valve reconstruction and endoscopic surgery.

The department offers its patients a wide surgical spectrum. From the various alternatives of treatment, those procedures which are the less strainful are preferably applied. The department -- and therefore the patients -- benefit from the close interdisciplinary collaboration regarding the focal point cardiovascular medicine and the leading position of Aachen in medical developments when introducing innovative, gentle therapy procedures. The international team of physicians is extremely experienced in interacting with patients from abroad.