Learn More About Dr. Tuerk

Ingolf A. Tuerk, MD, PhD, Chief, Urology; Director, Robot-Assisted Surgery Program

Ingolf A. Tuerk, MD, PhD is chief of Urology and director of the Robotic-assisted Surgery Program at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.  Dr. Tuerk is a world-renowned expert in laparoscopic and robotic urologic surgery and has pioneered several laparoscopic techniques including radical prostatectomy, radical and partial nephrectomy, right side donor nephrectomy, pyeloplasty and radical cystectomy with continent urinary diversion.

As director of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery at Charite Hospital in Berlin (1997-2002) and a Lahey Clinic in Burlington (2003-2008), Dr. Tuerk established successful programs focused on using laparoscopy and robotics to treat cancers of the kidney, testis, bladder and prostate.  He has performed more than 1,000 laparoscopic radical prostatectomies in the past decade. Since November 2006, Dr. Tuerk has become an expert in the use of the da Vinci® surgical system, recently acquired by St. Elizabeth’s, and has performed more than 850 robot-assisted radical prostatectomies in the past two years, the most performed by a single surgeon in New England during that time period.

Dr. Tuerk has been an invited speaker and lecturer at many national and international meetings and a visiting professor and guest surgeon performing laparoscopic and robotic radical prostatectomies, radical cystectomies and kidney procedures in the United States, Europe, South American and Asia.  He has served as proctor and teacher for many surgeons around the world related to performing complex laparoscopic and robotic urologic procedures.

What makes Dr. Tuerk special is that he is an Oncologist (a specialist at treating cancer), and is laparoscopically trained which is a unique combination and guarantees expertise in all aspects of the treatment of urological cancers including prostate cancer. Dr. Tuerk is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in laparoscopic and robotic surgery and has pioneered many procedures and has been one of the first surgeons in the world performing laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery starting in April 1999.

Dr. Tuerk is renowned throughout the region for the exceptional results his patients experience. These results include:

• More than 95% of all Dr. Tuerk's patients undergoing prostatectomy are continent one year after surgery.

	Dr. Tuerk talks about robot-assisted surgery on WEZE Radio
	Watch Dr. Tuerk on Channel 5 as he talks about robotic prostatectomy along with his patient, Anthony Thomspon. Watch the video >>