In the ever-evolving field of neurosurgery, few figures embody the fusion of cutting-edge technology and profound humanism as vividly as Dr. Georgios K. Matis. A senior consultant and head of the Pain/Spasticity–Neuromodulation Unit at Hygeia Hospital in Athens, Greece, Matis has dedicated his career to neuromodulation—a discipline that uses electrical or chemical interventions to alter nerve activity and alleviate chronic pain and spasticity. With over 106 publications, leadership roles in international societies, and training across four countries, Matis stands at the forefront of a medical revolution. But what sets him apart is his philosophical approach, drawing from ancient Greek thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and Heraclitus to infuse empathy into high-tech treatments.
Born and raised in Greece, Matis’s journey into medicine was sparked by a fascination with the human body’s mysteries and the resilience of the spirit. “From a young age, I was fascinated not only by the mysteries of the human body but also by the resilience of the human spirit,” he reflects. Growing up amid the philosophical legacies of Plato and Aristotle, he viewed medicine as an art that restores harmony between body and soul. Neurosurgery appealed to him as the ultimate frontier, dealing with the brain, spinal cord, and nerves—”the foundation of life itself.” There wasn’t a single defining moment, but rather a gradual realization during his early years that neurosurgery offered not just treatment, but transformation. Inspired by Marie Curie’s words that “nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood,” Matis embraced the audacity required to tackle the unknown.
His path led him through rigorous training in Greece, including stints at the General University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, G. Papanikolaou General Hospital of Thessaloniki, and the 417 Army Equity Fund Hospital of Athens. He expanded his horizons internationally, honing skills in the U.S. at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, Switzerland at the University Hospital of Zurich, and Germany at the University Hospital Cologne. This global exposure shaped his philosophy profoundly. “Each country I worked in gave me more than professional training; it gave me cultural lenses through which to understand the universality of suffering,” he says. Greece taught him the essence of patient dialogue, Germany emphasized precision and innovation, Switzerland highlighted balance in decision-making, and the U.S. instilled ambition. Holding medical licenses in Greece, Cyprus, Germany, and Switzerland, Matis sees pain as a borderless human experience, guiding his commitment to global accessibility in neuromodulation.
Matis’s shift to specializing in neuromodulation stemmed from recognizing chronic pain as an existential crisis that erodes identity and dignity. Traditional therapies often proved inadequate, prompting him to seek methods that rewire the nervous system’s responses. “Neuromodulation allows us to change how the nervous system reacts, to rewire perception and offer relief where conventional medicine cannot,” he explains, echoing Epictetus’s idea that “it’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Witnessing patients regain abilities like walking or gardening through spinal cord stimulation or intrathecal ziconotide therapy solidified his passion. He highlights advancements like closed-loop spinal cord stimulation, which adapts in real-time to neural signals, and waveforms such as FAST, DTM, and BurstDR, which personalize pain relief.
For over seven years as head of the Pain/Spasticity Section at University Hospital Cologne, Matis witnessed transformative breakthroughs. The evolution from one-size-fits-all stimulation to personalized paradigms marked a shift toward reliability and better outcomes. “Closed-loop stimulation, adjusting in real time to neural responses, represented a revolution,” he notes. The integration of digital tools, like remote programming, became crucial during the pandemic, turning neuromodulation into an ecosystem of technology and care. Intrathecal ziconotide therapy emerged as a lifeline for unresponsive patients, underscoring innovation’s role in restoring participation in life.
Yet, Matis insists that clinical precision must coexist with empathy. “Surgery is only half the story. The other half is narrative—the story patients tell themselves about their pain and their future,” he says. Drawing from Blaise Pascal’s notion that “the heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of,” he balances high-tech interventions like multifidus stimulation with human connection. This philosophy permeates his books, such as From Surgeons to Storytellers, which remind colleagues to prioritize listening over data. “It means looking into a patient’s eyes before looking into their MRI,” he emphasizes.
Among cutting-edge therapies, closed-loop spinal cord stimulation excites Matis most for its proactive, adaptive nature, embodying Heraclitus’s principle that “everything flows.” FAST algorithms and restorative neurostimulation, particularly for multifidus muscles, shift focus from symptom masking to functional restoration. He envisions a future augmented by artificial intelligence, where AI predicts optimal waveforms and systems learn from individual biology.
Despite these advances, Matis identifies barriers to equitable access in Europe, including geographic disparities and bureaucratic hurdles. “Pain does not recognize borders, and neither should solutions,” he asserts. As Co-Chair of the International Neuromodulation Society’s (INS) Medical and Public Education Committee and Secretary of the German Neuromodulation Society (DGNM), he advocates for education and streamlined reimbursement. Echoing Kant’s ethical imperative to treat humans as ends in themselves, he urges systems to center patients over paperwork.
At 37, Matis made a bold move, leaving Greece for Germany—a leap that tested his resilience. “It taught me resilience, the same resilience I now ask of my patients,” he recalls, quoting Nietzsche: “One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.” This experience fueled his leadership, leading to his current role at Hygeia Hospital and a perspective that views obstacles as opportunities.
In training future specialists, Matis instills curiosity, humility, and empathy. “Neuromodulation is not merely a technical specialty; it is a philosophy of care,” he tells young doctors, urging collaboration across disciplines like surgery, engineering, and philosophy—much like Konstantinos Karatheodori’s contributions to Einstein. He stresses resilience amid rapid evolution, inspired by Curie’s perseverance.
Matis’s authorship bridges neuroscience with storytelling and philosophy because “medicine without humanity becomes mechanics.” Books like Intrathecal Therapy and Ziconotide and Pain and Pulses transform pain into narratives of hope. “Storytelling allows us to understand pain not as a symptom but as a narrative interruption,” he says, aligning with Aristotle’s view that “the soul never thinks without a picture.”
Looking ahead, Matis predicts the next decade will be defined by integration: AI-guided therapies, evolved closed-loop systems, and multifidus stimulation as standards. Interdisciplinary collaborations will drive breakthroughs, and cross-border networks will ensure equity. As an editorial board member for journals like Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, he views leadership as service—amplifying knowledge and turning science into resonant stories. Quoting Hannah Arendt on “responsibility for the world,” he aims to make neuromodulation a beacon of ethics and empathy.
Balancing his intense career, Matis finds solace in nature, family, and writing—a cathartic process rooted in ancient Greek concepts. “Writing has been essential in processing the emotional weight of medicine,” he shares, preventing burdens from persisting, as Carl Jung warned.
Reflecting on his legacy, Matis hopes to restore dignity for patients, integrate science and humanity for the medical community, and inspire courage in future leaders. “If they inherit my passion for neuromodulation and my belief in its transformative power, then my legacy will live on,” he says. Inspirations fuel him daily: patients’ resilience, mentors’ wisdom, and scientific discovery’s promise. As Aristotle noted, “all men by nature desire to know”—a triad of curiosity and compassion that propels Matis forward.
In a field where technology races ahead, Georgios Matis reminds us that true healing lies in the soul as much as the spine. His work not only alleviates pain but rekindles hope, proving that neuromodulation, at its best, is a symphony of science and humanity.
