Wuppertal: Robotic surgical treatment of hernias is now available

07/02/2026 12:02

The Department of General, Visceral and Oncological Surgery at Helios University Hospital Wuppertal (HUKW) has expanded its surgical portfolio: for the first time, a robot-assisted eTEP procedure was performed in this department.

ETEP stands for “enhanced-view totally extraperitoneal” and is a minimally invasive surgical technique that, through enhanced robot-assisted visualization, enables more precise and tissue-sparing repair of abdominal wall hernias.
Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. med. Florian Gebauer, Director of the Surgical Center and Chief Physician of the department, the Da Vinci robotic system was used for the procedure. The surgical team led by Dr. Johannes Dörner and Dr. Christian Horstmeier performed the operation on a patient with a complex abdominal wall hernia.

For patients, the new technique offers less tissue trauma, smaller skin incisions, and usually a faster recovery after surgery. Robot-assisted surgery complements the clinic’s existing range of minimally invasive procedures, which are focused on precise and as gentle treatment as possible.

“With the Da Vinci system, we can plan and perform abdominal wall procedures even more precisely,” explains Prof. Gebauer. “This allows us to treat patients individually and safely.”

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