Dietmar Schneider (born 28 October 1943 in Rabenstein (now Chemnitz), Saxony, Germany) is a German internist, neurologist and an extra-curricular professor§ 65 Außerplanmäßige Professoren, Honorarprofessoren. (in German) [§ 65 Extra-Curricular Professors, Honorary Professors 2020-04-01, Retrieved 2021-02-09. for neurological intensive care medicine (Critical Care Neurology), 1997Wagner, Armin: (in German) [Neurology at the University of Leipzig. Documentation of the Development of the Neurological Clinic from 1986 to 2009 – A Time of Historic Changes.] Leipziger Universitätsverlag, Leipzig 2021, , p. 217.(in German) [Announcements and Reports for Members and Fellows of the University of Leipzig] From: Der Rektor. Verantw. Redakteur Volker Schulte (ed.): Leipziger Universitätsverlag, October 1997, ISSN 0947-1049, p. 2. at the University of Leipzig Medical Center.
Life and career Schneider studied medicine from 1963 to 1969 in Leipzig, earned his M.D. supervised by Max Bürger's scholar Werner Ries in the same year with a gerontological thesis (Die Altershypoproteinämie am klinischen Krankengut [Senile hypoproteinemia of clinical patients], rated magna cum laude), completed two residencies at the University of Leipzig Medical Center: as a medical specialist for internal medicine (1974) supervised by tenured professor Rolf Emmrich and as a medical specialist for neurology and psychiatry (1979) supervised by tenured professor Peter Feudell. Schneider's professional passion became the intensive care and emergency medicine at the University of Leipzig Medical Center. He practiced 45 years there.Niemann, Uwe: (in German) 50 Years of High-Performance Medicine. A Success Story for Stroke Patients. Prof. Dr. Dietmar Schneider Is Associated with the University of Leipzig Medical Center Since 1963. From: Universitätsklinikum Leipzig (ed.): (in German) [University of Leipzig Modern Medicine.] 6th volume, 23rd edition, December 2013. Leipzig December 2013, p. 20–21. Together with his fellow student Lothar Engelmann, also an internist, but also anesthetist as a second medical specialist, they both developed the department for intensive care medicine at the University of Leipzig Medical Center in almost 15 years of loyal friendship. The department grew to be one of the most recognized centers of non-operative intensive care medicine in the GDR, both professionally as well as the equally equipped in terms of beds and spatially connected intensive care and monitoring units with central monitoring, direct emergency routes to first aid rooms and its own technical and 24/7 laboratories with connection to dialysis equipment.Engelmann, Lothar: (in German) [The History of Internal Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Leipzig Medical Center – From the Beginnings to 2009.] Winterwork edition, 2020, , p. 55, 71, 79.Berrouschot, Jörg: Prof. Dr. med. habil. Dietmar Schneider zum 70. Geburtstag. (in German) [Prof. Dr. med. habil. Dietmar Schneider Celebrates His 70th Birthday] (PDF) December 2013, Retrieved 2021-02-04.Wagner, Armin; Steinberg, Holger: (in German) [Neurology at the University of Leipzig, Articles on the Development of the Clinical Specialty Field from 1880 to 1985.] Leipziger Universitätsverlag, Leipzig 2015, , p. 493.Kunze, Klaus: (in German) [Neurological Intensive Care Medicine in Germany.] From: DGNI Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologische Intensiv- und Notfallmedizin [German Society of Neurological Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine] (ed.): (in German) [Modern Neurological Intensive Care Medicine.] 2006, ISSN 1435-2966, p. 27–29.
Among others, Schneider's expertise in intensive care internal medicine concentrated on emergency service for patients with cardiac pacemakers (1972–1975) and coronary angiography (1986/1987) as well as consultations for the neurosurgical and orthopedic departments of the University of Leipzig Medical Center (1981–1987). When Schneider started to work at the neurological clinic in 1987, the neurocritical emergency service with cephalic CAT scan (1987–1999, CAT scan, computed axial tomography or computer-assisted tomography) and consultations at the Leipzig Heart Center (1987–1996) followed. In 1993, a modern neurological intensive care unit opened, professionally, structurally prepared and with personnel selected by Schneider, as well as a spatially integrated stroke unitAdams, Bärbel: Neues Schlaganfallzentrum am Universitätsklinikum Leipzig. (in German) [New Stroke Unit at the University of Leipzig Medical Center.] Press Release University of Leipzig, 1998-10-08, Retrieved 2021-02-02. with its initially own personnel in 1998. Both neurocritical units moved to the new building “Zentrum für Konservative Medizin” [Center for Conservative Medicine] in 2009 (21 beds with mechanical ventilation, including 12 certified transregional stroke-unit-beds). The internal intensive care department led by Lothar Engelmann Rösler, Wenke: Internistische Intensivstation. Auf dem neuesten Stand der Technik. (in German) [Internal Intensive Care Unit. State-of-the-Art Technology.] Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, 2009-04-17, Retrieved 2021-03-14.Flemming, Sandra: Neurologische Intensivmedizin. Niemals Routine entwickeln. (in German) [Neurological Intensive Care Medicine. Never Establish Routines.] Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, 2009-04-17, Retrieved 2021-03-14.Niemann, Uwe: Verabschiedung. Internistische Intensivmedizin weiterentwickelt. (in German) [Farewell. Developing Internal Intensive Care Further and Further.] Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, 2009-10-02, Retrieved 2021-03-14. was located on the same floor and directly adjacent. In the same year, Schneider handed over the management of the intensive neurological department to his successors (Carsten Hobohm and Dominik Michalski),Niemann, Uwe: Schlaganfall: Ursache ist meist ein Blutgerinnsel im Gehirn. (in German) [Stroke: Cerebral Blood Clots as Common Reason.] (PDF) 2012-05-25, Retrieved 2021-02-06.Niemann, Uwe: Genau dort, wo Medizin stattfindet. (in German) [Where Medicine Takes Place.] (PDF) 2009-04-17, Retrieved 2021-02-06. continued his works on stroke studies with the help of third-party funds (until 2011) Niemann, Uwe: Das Gegenteil eines stromlinienförmigen Arztes. (in German) [The Opposite of a Streamlined Physician.] (PDF) 2012-05-25, Retrieved 2021-02-06.Niemann, Uwe: Von Fallstricken und Herausforderungen. (in German) [Of Barriers and Challenges.] (PDF) 2008-05-16, Retrieved 2021-02-06. and was the manager of the Multiplace HBOT chamber at the clinic for anesthesiology and intensive care therapy until February 28, 2014.U-Boot schwebt über Uniklinik. (in German) [A Submarine Hovers Above the University Clinic.] (PDF) 2010-06-25, p. 3, Retrieved 2021-02-06. He worked on a 24/7 on-call service for emergencies that have to be treated hyperbarically.Niemann, Uwe: Taucher-Rettung: Wie eine Übung zum Ernstfall wurde… (in German) [Rescuing Divers: How an Exercise Turned Into a Case of Emergency.] (PDF) 2013-02-08, Retrieved 2021-02-06.
In his profession, Schneider initially worked on biochemical approaches of geriatric medicine and in preparation of bone marrow transplants histomorphologically (supervised by Eberhard Perlick, Werner Helbig).Schneider, Dietmar; Schwenke, Helga: . (in German) [The Bone Biopsy.] From: Emmrich, Rolf (ed.): (in German) [Work Methods of Internal Medicine and Related Fields.] 1st edition. 6th vol. VEB Gustav Fischer, Jena 1976, License number 261 700/92/76, p. 319–394.Engelmann, Lothar: (in German) [The History of Internal Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Leipzig Medical Center – From the Beginnings to 2009.] Winterwork edition, Leipzig 2020, , p. 23, 24. In addition and subsequently, acute medicine, intensive care medicine and emergency medicine were pillars of this works, coma and apallic syndrome, cerebral hypoxia and ischemia,Schneider, Dietmar; Engelmann, Lothar: (in German) [Sense and Non-Sense of Barbiturate-Induced Paralysis for a Protective and Therapeutic Reduction of Cerebral Oxygen Demand.] From: Michalik, Michael; Schulze, H.A.F.; Zschenderlein, Rolf (eds.): (in German) [Current Problems of Neurological Intensive Care Medicine.] 1st edition. S.Hirzel, Leipzig 1988, , p. 36–43. the resuscitation of the brain,Schneider, Dietmar: (in German) [Cerebral Resuscitation Measures.] From: Köhler, Heinz; Schneider, Dietmar; Engelmann, Lothar (eds.): (in German) [Intensive Care Medicine. Internal Medicine and Adjacent Medical Fields.] Johann Ambrosius Barth, Leipzig 1982, License number (GDR) 793 643 9, p. 258–265.Schneider, Dietmar: (in German) [Ventilation and Brain.] From: Engelmann, Lothar (ed.): (in German) [Current Problems of Intensive Care Medicine.] 8th vol. Johann Ambrosius Barth, Leipzig, Berlin, Heidelberg 1992, , p. 42–63. the monitoring of cerebral homeostasis and strokes, after the reunification in Germany predominantly stroke studies.Adams, Bärbel: Vampire als Helfer bei der Behandlung von Schlaganfallfolgen. (in German) [Vampires as Helpers in the Treatment of Stroke Consequences.] 2003-04-22, Retrieved 2021-02-03.Adams, Barbara: Leipziger Schlaganfall-Tag: Mediziner beraten über neue Behandlungsmethoden. (in German) [Stroke Day in Leipzig: Medical Practitioners Talk about New Treatment Methods.] 2009-05-07, Retrieved 2021-02-07. Since 1998, his research group has been researching mainly in animal studies the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy) for treatment of acute focal brain ischemia.
In this context, Schneider installed 4 HBOT chambers with third-party funds (cell chamber, animal testing chamber, monoplace chamber, multiplace intensive care chamber). One habilitation (Dominik Michalski) and eight doctorates followed. At the University of Leipzig Medical Center, the Hyperbaric Center for Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine of Leipzig has been operational since 2015. Schneider decisively contributed to the founding of the center by adding a Multiplace HBOT intensive care chamber. Press Release of the University of Leipzig Medical Center: Wissenschaftliches Symposium zum Start des Hyperbarmedizinischen Zentrums für Notfall- und Intensivmedizin Leipzig. (in German) [Scientific Symposium about the Launch of the Hyperbarical Center for Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine in Leipzig.] Universitätsmedizin Leipzig, 2015-05-06, Retrieved 2021-02-02.