Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Lange

Professorship

Clinic for Heart and Vascular Surgery

Professor emeritus since 31.08.2023

Academic Career and Research Areas

Professor Lange (b. 1953) has been director of the Department of Heart and Vascular Surgery at the German Heart Centre Munich (DHM) since 1999. The spectrum of services provided by this department includes heart and vascular surgery in the treatment of acquired and congenital heart defects in children and adults. The major focus of Professor Lange’s research is minimally invasive operation techniques, the reconstruction of heart valves and transcatheter procedures for valve implantation and reconstruction. His experimental research interests include embryonic stem cell research, the genetics of cardiovascular disease and the automation of the heart lung machine.

Professor Lange studied medicine in Bonn and Munich and received his PhD in 1980. He completed his training as a heart and vascular surgeon at DHM and at the Department of Surgery of TUM and during a two year training period at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. From 1988 to 1999 he worked at the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University Hospital of Heidelberg where he also acquired his postdoctoral teaching qualification (habilitation) in 1993. As of 1995 he was acting director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University Hospital of Ulm. Professor Lange is active in many cardiology and cardiac surgery associations.

    Awards

    • Professor honoris causa (Prof. h.c.) awarded by Capital Medical University Bejing, China (2006)
    • Ernst Derra Prize of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery (1993)
    • Forum Prize of the German Surgical Society (1991)
    • Hancock Editions Prize of the German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery (1990)

    Lange R, Schreiber C, Günther T, Wottke M, Haas F, Meisner F, Hess J, Holper K: "Results of biventricular repair of congenital cardiac malformations: definitive corrective surgery?" Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2001; 20(6):1207-13.

    Abstract

    Lange R, Hörer J, Kostolny M, Cleuziou J, Vogt M, Busch R, Holper K, Meisner H, Hess J, Schreiber C: "Presence of a ventricular septal defect and the Mustard operation are risk factors for late mortality after the atrial switch operation: thirty years of follow-up in 417 patients at a single center". Circulation. 2006; 114(18):1905-13.

    Abstract

    Lange R, Günther T, Busch R, Hess J & Schreiber C: "The presence of Down syndrome is not a risk factor in complete atrioventricular septal defect repair". J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007; 134:304-310.

    Abstract

    Lange R, Cleuziou J, Hörer J, Holper K, Vogt M, Tassani-Prell P, Schreiber C: "Risk factors for aortic insufficiency and aortic valve replacement after the arterial switch operation". Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2008; 34(4):711-7.

    Abstract

    Lange R, Günther T, Nöbauer C, Kiefer B, Eichinger W, Voss B, Bauernschmitt R, Tassani-Prell P, Mazzitelli D: "Chordal replacement versus quadrangular resection for repair of isolated posterior mitral leaflet prolapse". Ann Thorac Surg. 2010; 89(4):1163-70; discussion 1170.

    Abstract