Richard van Hillegersberg
University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberg University, Collaborative Group (United States), Altrecht GGZ
Papers
88
Total Citations
3,631
H-Index
30
About
Richard van Hillegersberg is a pioneering surgical oncologist whose career has been defined by transforming the treatment of esophageal cancer through robotic and minimally invasive surgery. Based at Utrecht University Medical Center, he is widely recognized as a global leader in robot-assisted minimally invasive thoraco-laparoscopic esophagectomy (RAMIE), a technique he helped introduce and rigorously validate over two decades of research. His landmark 2018 randomized controlled trial comparing RAMIE to open transthoracic esophagectomy has accumulated over 640 citations, establishing it as a cornerstone reference in surgical oncology. This work, alongside his 2006 first-experience report (231 citations) and the foundational ROBOT trial design published in 2012 (179 citations), demonstrates a sustained commitment to evidence-based surgical innovation. His research has systematically addressed critical questions — from short-term safety and oncologic outcomes to learning curves across 312 cases and comparative propensity-matched analyses — collectively accumulating well over 1,900 citations. Van Hillegersberg's contributions have fundamentally shifted international practice, demonstrating that RAMIE reduces complications without compromising cancer control. For students and researchers in surgical oncology, his body of work represents an exceptional model of translating technological innovation into rigorously proven clinical benefit.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 5Robot-assisted thoracoscopic oesophagectomy for cancer149 citations · 2009
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- 9Robot-Assisted Endoscopic Surgery: A Four-Year Single-Center Experience105 citations · 2005
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