Dirk Meininger
Papers
10
Total Citations
630
H-Index
10
About
Dirk Meininger is a pioneering physician-researcher whose work sits at the intersection of pediatric surgery, robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery, and anesthesiology. He is best known for being among the earliest investigators to document the clinical application of robotic surgical systems in children, with his landmark 2001 report of a totally endoscopic Nissen fundoplication performed robotically in a child and his influential 2002 overview of early robotic surgery experiences in pediatric patients, which has since accumulated over 130 citations. Beyond surgical innovation, Meininger has made substantial contributions to understanding the physiological challenges of prolonged pneumoperitoneum. His research systematically examined how sustained carbon dioxide insufflation affects hemodynamics, arterial oxygenation, and acid-base balance across diverse patient populations — including overweight patients, those undergoing robotic radical prostatectomy, and pediatric cases. His 2005 finding that positive end-expiratory pressure improves oxygenation during prolonged pneumoperitoneum (113 citations) has direct clinical relevance for anesthetic management. Collectively, Meininger's body of work has helped establish safer protocols for robotic and laparoscopic procedures, bridging surgical innovation with rigorous physiological investigation and earning him recognition as a foundational voice in minimally invasive surgical science.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Early experiences of robotic surgery in children131 citations · 2002
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- 3Totally endoscopic Nissen fundoplication with a robotic system in a child88 citations · 2001
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- 8Roboterassistierte, endoskopische Fundoplikatio nach Nissen bei Kindern29 citations · 2001
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