Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery

The Washington University Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery is focused on creating innovative surgical techniques and developing new technologies, comparing outcomes of open and laparoscopic procedures, and developing and testing biomaterials.

When the Washington University Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery (WUIMIS) was established in 1993, it was the first multidisciplinary group of surgeons in the country formed to advance research, education and patient care in minimally invasive surgery. Today, surgeons across specialties remain dedicated to the institute’s mission:

• Promoting clinical excellence in minimally invasive surgery
• Serving as a training and education center in advanced laparoscopic surgery
• Developing and standardizing techniques in advanced laparoscopic surgery
• Fostering clinical and basic-science translational research in the field

WUIMIS is led by Jeffrey Blatnik, MD, chief of the Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery at WashU Medicine.

Dr. Blatnik’s research studies outcomes of abdominal wall surgery, including the use of different techniques for hernia repair, the use of surgical mesh, and patient-reported outcomes. He has published in the leading journals in the field, including Surgery, JAMA Surgery, and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Researchers associated with WUIMIS have published hundreds of articles on topics ranging from surgical ergonomics and advances in robotic surgery to studies of approaches to cholecystectomy, bariatric surgery, hernia surgery, and other procedures.

In addition to conducting research in minimally invasive surgery, WashU Medicine offers a minimally invasive surgery fellowship accredited by the Fellowship Council for advanced GI MIS/foregut and hernia surgery.

Learn more about the minimally invasive surgery fellowship>>

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