Stenum Hospital celebration of 100 years
In June 2026, Stenum Hospital formally celebrated its 100th anniversary marking the milestone with 230 invited guests and staff including Jim Rider, who in 2003 was the first disc replacement surgery patient from the US and put Stenum Hospital on the map.
The Story: From Sun Sanatorium to World-Class Orthopedic Hospital
1890s–1926: Roots in Recovery and Nature
The origins trace back to Hermine de Voss, a merchant’s daughter who established a retreat and Sunday school nestled in the forests of Stenum. In 1926, the grounds officially opened as the Sonnenheilstätte Stenum (Sun Sanatorium), using open air, sunlight, and holistic rest to treat bone, joint, and glandular tuberculosis.
1950s–1970s: The Shift to Clinical Orthopedics
As tuberculosis retreated with modern antibiotics, the facility adapted. By 1958, the site was officially named Krankenhaus Stenum, and in 1971, it completed its transition into a dedicated orthopedic specialty hospital.
1980s–2000s: Surgical Modernization and International Recognition
Under Chief Physician Dr. Hans-Georg Zechel starting in 1987, and later backed by a €5.6 million state investment into modern surgical suites in the early 2000s, Stenum Hospital emerged as a premier German center for joint replacement and spinal reconstruction. During this era, international patients like Jim Rider began seeking out Stenum Hospital for advanced motion-preserving spine procedures and total disc replacements.
2012–Present: STENUM Hospital & Modern Expansion
Restructure under the medical directorship of Dr. Karsten Ritter-Lang, the clinic earned EndoCert certification, built an expansive, light-filled ward in 2023, and routinely ranked #1 in Lower Saxony for patient satisfaction.
While the U.S. has respected pioneers who champion motion preservation, Stenum Hospital and Dr. Ritter-Lang’s career volume of 8,000+ disc replacements places him well ahead of all global practitioners.
Some are specialists in multi-level cervical and lumbar arthroplasty, but in terms of overall career years, pioneering background, and absolute disc replacement volume, Dr. Karsten Ritter-Lang remains the more experienced spine surgeon.
Disc replacement surgery provides a less invasive alternative to spinal fusion surgery and protects against adjacent level degeneration.
“Advanced disc replacement solutions have allowed us to achieve a success rate of 99%”
Dr. Karsten-Ritter-Lang Disc Replacement Surgeon
“After years of suffering, I avoided spinal fusion surgery, had Disc Replacement Surgery, went to Dr. Ritter-Lang and had a wonderful result.”
“Dr. Ritter-Lang gave me a solution that I was not being offered by my doctors in the US”
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. med. Karsten Ritter-Lang M.D.
Diploma of medicine (Institut of Immunology Charité)
1988 – 1991
Doctorade of medicine (Institut of Immunology Charité)
Senior consultant of spinal surgery in two hospitals (DRK Berlin Westend and Stenum Hospital) and private practice in Potsdam,ENDOCERT Certified awarded the title and certification of Specialist for Trauma Surgery (Facharzt für Unfallchirurgie) in 2009