About us
Professor Dr. med. Ferdinand Köckerling has several areas of expertise in which he transregionally has established a reputation as a true expert. However, one specialist area is the absolute highlight for him: Hernia surgery is particularly close to the heart of the renowned specialist from the Vivantes Humboldt-Klinikum.
When it comes to the international reputation of the Vivantes Humboldt-Klinikum, it is particularly one name that ensures that the experts keep looking to Berlin: Prof. Dr. med. Ferdinand Köckerling has made a name for himself as a hernia specialist.
"ELAR-plus Technique": our own surgical method
Among other things, Prof. Köckerling developed a method called "Endoscopic-Assisted Linea Alba Reconstruction plus Mesh Augmentation", in which he focuses on the reconstruction of the straight abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles are sutured in the middle, while the abdominal wall is reinforced with a high-quality net.
What Prof. Köckerling achieved with this method is considered a sensation in expert circles: the risk of a new hernia was reduced to an absolute minimum. Traditionally, in smaller hernias the abdominal wall is simply sewn shut. If patients additionally suffer from a weakness of the connective tissue, a second hernia often occurs in the operated region - and that is what is ruled out almost completely with the "ELAR-plus technique".
Minimally invasive - gentle surgeries
The minimally invasive procedure is very gentle. It causes only tiny wounds, which also enormously reduces the time needed for healing. Patients are always surprised: whether it was an endoscopic procedure for an inguinal hernia, a scar hernia or a diaphragmatic hernia, patients are able to walk short distances soon after the surgery. Prof. Köckerling even recommends it - thus, even freshly operated people stroll through the corridors of the Berlin hospital.
Prof. Dr. med. Ferdinand Köckerling and his team of course also use state-of-the-art equipment for minimally invasive surgeries. These include innovative methods of endoscopy - here, surgery is performed with extremely complex mini cameras with light sources and high-resolution video monitors! Another advantage offered by the Vivantes Humboldt-Klinikum: The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery is directly connected to the Berlin Clinic.
Of course, Prof. Köckerling in addition to minimally invasive and laparoscopic procedures is also a specialist for open hernia surgery. He treats abdominal wall hernias of any kind - regardless of the degree of severity. His range of treatments includes all the surgical techniques recommended in the guidelines, which are applied individually to each patient.
International conferences: a welcome participant
Besides, Prof. Dr. med. Ferdinand Köckerling is also a welcome guest at conferences - and on speakers' platforms. Many lectures and countless publications have left their mark on hernia specialists all over the world. And in the specialist literature on the subject of hernia, his name is one of the most frequently mentioned.
Despite all the scientific expertise: Prof. Dr. med. Ferdinand Köckerling treats his patients with empathy right from the start. The head physician also knows a lot about didactics - after all, the clinic in Berlin is a teaching hospital of the Charité University Medicine!
