What are the benefits of a second opinion?

Before surgery, a second opinion can pay off, medically and financially; in the US it has been mandatory for certain operations for years. It serves as a decision aid: if it confirms diagnosis and treatment, you gain confidence. If it reveals alternatives, including conservative ones, you can make your decision fully informed.

What makes a doctor a specialist?

The most important criterion is experience. Prof. Stoffel has performed more than 5,000 hip and pelvic operations and treated over 10,000 fractures and soft-tissue injuries, making him one of Europe's most experienced hip specialists, with expertise in international demand.

What does a second opinion cost?

The assessment is almost always done on an outpatient basis, billed according to the Swiss Tarmed tariff and covered by health insurance, regardless of whether you are insured throughout Switzerland or only in your canton. Once your deductible is met, your share is 10% of the invoice.

Which documents do I need?

Please bring all available records to avoid duplicate examinations:Reports from your treating physiciansAll X-rays with the radiologist's reportPrevious surgical reports

What are my rights as a patient?

Everyone has the right to a second opinion. More and more physicians encourage their patients to seek one before major procedures. You are entitled to request all records from your treating physician.

In Switzerland you are free to choose your outpatient physician. With few exceptions (GP/HMO insurance models) you can register with us directly, by phone or via the contact form.

News | Hip Centre Basel

2026

June 2026 Awards

Elected chair of the Swiss Orthopaedics hip expert group

In June 2026 Karl Stoffel was elected chair of the hip expert group of Swiss Orthopaedics, the official specialist body for hip surgery within the Swiss Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology.

The expert group advises the board on all specialist questions concerning hip surgery and works on the continuous development of quality and standards in the field.

Remit of the expert group

Quality assurance: reviewing and developing standards in hip surgery.
Registry: contributing to the development of the data forms for the SIRIS hip & knee implant registry.
Recommendations: drawing up guidance on treatment methods, surgical techniques and implants.

Members

Under the chairmanship of Karl Stoffel the group brings together leading Swiss specialists in hip surgery and orthopaedics: Martin Beck, Lorenz Büchler, Tobias Bühler, Panayiotis Christofilopoulos, Henk Eijer, Karl Grob, Didier Hannouche, Thomas Ilchmann, Fabian Kalberer, Andreas Ladurner, Andrej Nowakowski, Hannes Rüdiger, Simon Steppacher, Moritz Tannast, Michael Wettstein, Philippe Zermatten and Patrick Zingg.

The hip expert group at Swiss Orthopaedics

2025

1. Jan 2025 Awards

Deputy head of department at the University Hospital Basel

With effect from 1 January 2025, Prof. Karl Stoffel was appointed deputy head of the Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University Hospital Basel.

In this role Prof. Karl Stoffel shares with Prof. Martin Clauss the medical, organisational and personnel responsibility for the clinic whenever the head of department is absent.

The clinic stands for highly specialised, innovative and modern medicine. Across its two sites, the University Hospital Basel and Bethesda Hospital, it performs some 4,200 operations and around 35,000 outpatient treatments each year.

Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel

2021

16. Jul 2021 Awards

Elected to the EFORT Trauma Educational Group

Prof. Karl Stoffel was elected as a new member of the Trauma Educational Group of the European society EFORT.

11. May 2021 Congresses

Chairman of the first AO Recon complex course on revision arthroplasty

Prof. Stoffel was voted chairman of the first AO Recon course on complex revision procedures of the hip and knee in Bulgaria.

2020

1. Jan 2020 Publications

AO TK Innovations Magazine: treating complex femoral fractures

Together with world-leading trauma surgeons, Prof. Stoffel presents a new concept enabling older patients to be mobilised as quickly as possible after complex femoral fractures.

Read the article (PDF)

2019

10. Dec 2019 Webinars & videos

Meet the Expert session, AO Recon Davos

Prof. Stoffel and PD Dr. Yves Acklin demonstrate practical exercises for complex revision cases around the hip and knee (video in English).

9. Dec 2019 Webinars & videos

AO webinar: dislocation after total hip replacement

Co-moderating with Dr. Sujith Konan (University College London), Prof. Stoffel speaks for about an hour on risk, diagnostics and treatment of a dislocating artificial hip.

1. Jul 2019 Media

Orthopaedics in Basel on the move

University Hospital Basel and Bethesda Hospital strengthen their cooperation in orthopaedics; coverage in the Basler Zeitung and hospital media.

Read the article (bz Basel)

26. Jun 2019 Webinars & videos

Interview: “I'm 50 and have severe hip pain. What now?”

Prof. Stoffel answers questions on causes, assessment and treatment, and shows simple self-therapy exercises (German).

Watch the video

22. May 2019 Webinars & videos

“Meet the expert: How to fix hip fractures”, Davos

Together with Prof. Christoph Sommer, Prof. Stoffel led an AO Foundation presentation. The video shows how a hip joint is replaced.

Watch the video

22. Apr 2019 Webinars & videos

Record attendance at the trauma webinar on femoral neck fractures

With almost 500 participants worldwide it was the largest AO webinar of its kind, with questions answered live.

Watch the webinar

2018

9. Dec 2018 Awards

Winner of the AOTK Innovation Award 2018

The AOTK Executive Board grants this prestigious award for innovative contributions. Prof. Karl Stoffel is the 2018 laureate.

Leading Opinions 4/2018: hip replacement patients are getting younger

Journal article on long-term bone preservation in younger patients with artificial joints.

Read the article

19. Nov 2018 Media

Basler Zeitung: “Hip osteoarthritis, am I too young for an artificial hip?”

Guest article by Prof. Stoffel in the BaZ edition of 20 November 2018 (German).

Read it (PDF)

18. Sep 2018 Webinars & videos

Webinar “Revision Arthroplasty in Periprosthetic Fractures” with Prof. Carsten Perka

236 participants from almost 70 countries joined the webinar held together with the university hospital in Berlin.

15. Sep 2018 Publications

CME training “Coxarthrosis: the common is common”

Continuing education by Dr. Hendrik Brecht and Prof. Karl Stoffel on medizinonline.ch, with test questions and a certificate for physicians (German).

Go to the course Article (PDF)

2017

15. Sep 2017 Congresses

Lectures at international congresses in Jakarta, Seattle and Barcelona

Ten invited lectures, including femoral neck fractures, periprosthetic fractures and hip arthroplasty.

15. Jun 2017 Publications

Regio Aktuell 6/2017: “Hip pain in older age, always osteoarthritis?”

Comprehensive article on the many causes of hip pain in older age (German).