News Prof. Dr. med. Dezső Jeszenszky – a life dedicated to spinal surgery

Prof. Dr. med. Dezső Jeszenszky is one of the leading figures in modern spinal surgery. Having completed his specialist medical training in orthopaedics in Hungary, he started his career in spinal surgery in Germany. But he has been working in Switzerland ever since 1999. He began raising the bar as the Head of Spinal Surgery here at Schulthess Klinik in 2004 and went on to take the department to an internationally leading level. He started working as a Senior Consultant for Schulthess Klinik in 2024 and is still committed to helping patients and training young surgeons.

Commitment to children
Prof. Dr. med. Jeszenszky has always been committed to treating children with spine deformities. Inspired by Wilhelm Schulthess himself, he works tirelessly to give children with deformities (no matter how severe) a better quality of life – even in countries where people have limited access to specialised medicine. He spends several weeks of the year in Hungary, where he treats children with complex spine issues for free. Most of those young patients suffer from curvature of the spine caused by neuromuscular conditions, birth defects or traumatic injuries. “We don’t expect our patients to be grateful that we’re operating on them. It’s us who should be grateful to them for trusting us and allowing us to help them.” That sums up Jeszenszky’s philosophy and reflects his humanity and humility.

Highest level without technology
During his time as Head of Spinal Surgery, he has been pivotal in training young surgeons at Schulthess Klinik and passing on the principles of precision and craft at the heart of his work. His expertise in successfully performing complex procedures without relying on the latest technology is vital. He teaches young surgeons how to accomplish highly complex operations even in the most basic of conditions. His work in Hungary is perfect proof that a skilled surgeon can perform at the highest level without the aid of high-tech equipment since he is often required to work without technology like intraoperative navigation.

Important contribution to the Patient Assistance Fund
Prof. Dr. med. Jeszenszky has also made a mark – and indeed continues to do so – with his work relating to the Wilhelm Schulthess Foundation’s Patient Assistance Fund. He has shown huge dedication to operating on patients who would otherwise not be able to afford the highly specialised treatment they need at Schulthess Klinik.

Humanity and empathy
More than anything else, it is Prof. Dr. med. Dezső Jeszenszky’s modesty and empathy that have made him such an inspiring person. His colleagues and patients alike admire him for his medical expertise but also his human connection. 

Prof. Dr. med. Jeszenszky has been working on a part-time basis as Director and Head Doctor at the largest spine centre in Hungary since September 2024. But he continues to make an important contribution to Schulthess Klinik in his new role as Senior Consultant 50% of the time. He alternates between Budapest and Zurich on a weekly basis. Prof. Dr. med. Jeszenszky is still leading the way in modern spinal surgery and acting as a role model for everyone he meets. His dedication, his humanity and his passion for medicine have had a profound impact on Schulthess Klinik and will continue to shape its identity going forward.

Our Patient Assistance Fund supports patients in Switzerland and from abroad who require complex surgery or treatment but can’t afford it. In particular, we help children from war zones who need urgent operations due to injury or illness. We partner with Friedensdorf International to help these children. It is our contribution to ensuring that even the poorest people can benefit from highly specialised, high-end medicine. You can help patients in Switzerland and from abroad who require complex operations or treatments by making a donation to our Patient Assistance Fund. 100% of the money you donate goes into the Patient Assistance Fund.