Dr. Denis Trsek
About Dr. Denis Trsek
Dr. Denis Trsek, MD, PhD, is an orthopedic specialist practicing at Akromion Special Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology in Zagreb, Croatia, where he serves as Head of the Orthopaedics Department. His clinical work focuses on knee surgery and sports-related injuries of the lower extremities, with a particular interest in arthroscopic procedures and reconstructive techniques intended to restore joint stability and function.
Clinical focus
His practice is centered on minimally invasive knee surgery, including arthroscopic procedures of the knee joint and ligament reconstruction. A significant part of his clinical work is dedicated to the management of ligament instability, meniscus pathology, and cartilage damage in patients whose symptoms affect mobility, athletic performance, or everyday function. Treatment planning is based on correlating clinical findings with imaging in order to determine whether conservative management or surgical intervention is the most appropriate pathway.
Diagnostic approach and patient pathway
The patient pathway typically begins with a structured orthopedic assessment and progresses through targeted imaging when indicated to clarify the underlying cause of instability or mechanical joint dysfunction. Arthroscopy may be used as a minimally invasive approach to confirm intra-articular pathology and treat the cause in the same setting when appropriate. In cases of ligament insufficiency, treatment planning focuses on restoring functional stability and enabling a safe return to activity, while cartilage-related problems require careful evaluation of defect characteristics and joint mechanics. Where advanced degenerative change is present, evaluation may lead to consideration of a knee replacement pathway based on clinical indication and expected functional outcomes.
Procedures performed
- Orthopedic examination
- Arthroscopic knee surgery
- Knee arthroscopy and meniscus repair
- Knee ligament reconstruction
- Ligament reconstruction - ACL
- Treatment of knee ligament injury
- Meniscus injury treatment
- Total knee replacement (TEP)
- Partial knee replacement - PEP
Conditions treated
Areas of clinical interest include anterior cruciate ligament injuries, meniscus injuries, cartilage damage in large joints of the lower extremities, and degenerative knee joint disease requiring an arthroplasty pathway. His work also includes lower extremity traumatology and treatment planning for patients who may require reconstructive or replacement surgery based on a defined diagnosis.
Qualifications
Assistant Professor of Orthopedics with a PhD degree, with a professional focus on knee surgery, arthroscopic procedures of the knee and ankle, sports medicine, arthroscopic ligament reconstruction, cartilage surgery of large joints of the lower extremities, and artificial meniscus implantation.
Experience
Head of the Orthopaedics Department at Akromion Special Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology in Zagreb, with clinical responsibilities in the diagnosis and surgical management of musculoskeletal injuries and degenerative joint conditions of the lower extremities, as well as participation in institutional governance as a member of the hospital board (Upravno vijece).
Publications
Author of 16 peer-reviewed scientific and professional publications addressing topics such as meniscus suturing techniques, early clinical outcomes following knee meniscal scaffold implantation, and fabella syndrome in sports-related knee pathology.
Membership
Membership in the European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA), an international professional association dedicated to the advancement of orthopedic sports medicine and joint surgery.
Certificates
Certified orthopedic specialist performing arthroscopic and reconstructive procedures in accordance with contemporary orthopedic standards in the treatment of sports injuries, ligament instability, and cartilage lesions affecting the knee and related structures of the lower limb.