Wolfgang Gaertner , MD, MSc, MBA, FACS, FASCRS.
Alex Broek
Associate Administrator
[email protected]
Patients Call: 612-624-9708
Fax: 612-625-4406
Mailing Address:
420 Delaware St SE, MMC 195
Biography
Dr. Gaertner is professor and chief of Colon & Rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota. He also holds the Stanley M. Goldberg, MD endowed chair in colon & rectal surgery. He completed general surgery residency and colon and rectal surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He is actively involved in both clinical and translational research and he currently serves as the Chair of the Clinical Practice Guidelines committee of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. His research interests include colorectal oncology, minimally invasive surgery, peritoneal carcinomatosis and the human microbiome.
Education
MD, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara
Research
Minimally invasive surgery for colorectal diseases (laparoscopy and robotic surgery) treatment of colorectal cancers (colon, rectal and appendiceal cancers) including sphincter preserving operations, and advanced therapies such as cytoreduction, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosolized chemotherapy (PIPAC).
Treatment of complex cases of diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel
disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).
Licensures & Certifications
Fellow, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
Diplomate, American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery
Diplomate, American Board of Surgery
Diplomate, Mexican Board of General Surgery
Minnesota Medical License,
# 55282
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Instructor
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Awards, Honors and Recognitions
Top Doctor by Mpls. St.Paul Magazine, 2017-2026
University of Minnesota Clinical Excellence Honoree (presented for distinguished patient care and service as observed and recommended by University of Minnesota Physician peers), 2021-2026
Earl C. Young Award (outstanding performance as a senior resident) Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, 2011
Resident abstract award, Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Spring Meeting, 2011
Best resident teacher, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, 2010
Resident abstract award, best basic science presentation, Minnesota Surgical Society and Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Spring Meeting, 2007
Presentations
Complicated diverticular disease: current management and controversies.
American British Hospital Medical Association (General Session). Mexico City,
Mexico. October 2013.
Transanal endoscopic microsurgery. XXIII Congreso Internacional de la
Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía Endoscópica. Veracruz, Mexico. May 2014.
The role of robotics in colorectal surgery. XXIII Congreso Internacional de la
Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía Endoscópica. Veracruz, Mexico. May 2014.
Management of postoperative complications in colon and rectal surgery. 38vo Congreso Internacional de Cirugia General (Asociacion Mexicana de Cirugia General), Leon, Mexico. October 2014.
Local excision for cancer: importance of patient selection. 78th annual University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. October, 2015.
Parastomal hernia: should we be using prophylactic mesh? 78th annual
University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course.
Minneapolis, MN. October, 2015.
Do we need to operate on patients after successful percutaneous drainage of a diverticular abscess? Grand rounds presentation. Department of Surgery,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. January 2016.
When is it the optimal moment to operate after neoadjuvant therapy?
International congress of coloproctology. Annual meeting of the Latin American
association of coloproctology, Aguascalientes, Mexico. March 2016.
Inflammatory bowel disease south of the border: is this the same disease?
International colorectal surgery symposium: perspectives from Latin America.
Annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Los
Angeles, CA. May 2016.
Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for
appendiceal and colorectal cancer: what’s the evidence? Grand rounds
presentation. Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina, MN. May 2016.
Margins are clear: do we still need preop radiation? 79th annual University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. September 2016.
HIPEC for colorectal adenocarcinoma: who and when? 79th annual University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. September 2016.
HIPEC for colorectal adenocarcinoma: who and when? Annual meeting of the Mexican Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. San Juan del Rio, Queretaro,Mexico. April, 2017.
Preoperative endorectal ultrasound for rectal cancer. Grand rounds presentation (virtual). Hospital General de Mexico. Mexico City, Mexico. April, 2017.
Parastomal hernia: should we be using prophylactic mesh? Colorectal grand rounds presentation. OhioHealth. Columbus, OH. November, 2017.
Total neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer: friend or foe? Annual meeting of the Mexican Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. February, 2018.
Robotic ventral rectopexy: indications and operative technique step-by-step. Annual meeting of the Mexican Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. February, 2018.
Ostomies and stomal therapy. Core subjects symposium. Annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Nashville, TN. May 2018.
Colorectal considerations from gender reassignment surgery. Rare colorectal pathology symposium. Annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Nashville, TN. May 2018.
The complex and refractory pilonidal. 80th annual University of Minnesota
principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. November 2018.
Total neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. 80th annual University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. November 2018.
HIPEC for colorectal adenocarcinoma: who and when? 80th annual University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. November 2018.
TME cage match – debate. Robotic approach. 80th annual University of
Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN.
November 2018.
Management of recurrent rectal cancer: patient selection and outcomes. Invited lecture. Mercy One Medical center. Des Moines, IA. March 2019.
The role of immunofluorescence in colorectal surgery. Robotics symposium: practical tips and tricks. Annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Cleveland, OH. June 2019.
Robotic TME: friend or foe? International Latin American Colon & Rectal Surgery meeting (SMCRCA & ALACP). Cancun, Mexico. October, 2019.
Immunofluorescence in robotic surgery. International Latin American Colon & Rectal Surgery meeting (SMCRCA & ALACP). Cancun, Mexico. October, 2019.
Total neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. November 2019.
A needle in a haystack: can we detect rectal cancer in a clinical complete
response? 8th annual Chicago colorectal symposium. Chicago, IL. March 2020.
Robotic Surgery: Critical analysis of the results in rectal cancer (virtual). LXVI International Congress of Coloproctology. Mexico City, Mexico. August 2021.
Total neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer: friend or foe? LXVII International Congress of Coloproctology. Colegio Mexicano de especialistas en coloproctologia. Acapulco, Mexico. August 2022.
The robotic approach: critical analysis of outcomes in rectal cancer. LXVII
International Congress of Coloproctology. Colegio Mexicano de especialistas en coloproctologia. Acapulco, Mexico. August 2022.
HIPEC for colorectal cancer: end of an era? Annual International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano.
Guadalajara, Mexico. November 2022.
Stop at the appendix? Treatment of non-metastatic appendiceal neoplasia. General surgery resident research day. Distinguished guest judge and lecturer.
University of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. April, 2023.
Anal Fistula: Enhancing your chances for a successful endoanal advancement flap. Advances and Controversies in Benign Colorectal Surgery. Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA. April, 2023.
Ventral mesh rectopexy vs. suture rectopexy: which one should be first-line of treatment for full-thickness rectal prolapse. Advances and Controversies in
Benign Colorectal Surgery. Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA. April, 2023.
Stop at the appendix? Treatment of non-metastatic appendiceal neoplasia.
Annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Seattle, WA. June 2023.
Complex fistulas: what are we doing in the US? LXVII International Congress of Coloproctology. Colegio Mexicano de especialistas en coloproctologia. Torreon, Mexico. September 2023.
Management of non metastatic appendiceal cancer. Annual International
Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano. Merida, Mexico. November 2023.
Advancement flaps for complex fistulas: how to optimize outcomes. Annual
International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de
Colon, Recto y Ano. Merida, Mexico. November 2023.
2024 Update on Colon Cancer. Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Surgical
Society (a chapter of the American College of Surgeons). Minneapolis, MN. May 2024.
Pelvic exenteration for recurrent rectal cancer. Annual International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano. Mexico City, Mexico. November 2024.
Immunofluorescence in colorectal surgery. Annual International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano. Mexico City, Mexico. November 2024.
Lateral lymph node dissection in the TNT era. University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course. Minneapolis, MN. February 2025.
Total mesorectal excision: technical pearls. XIX Congreso Internacional de
Cirugia General. Peruvian Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Lima,
Peru. March, 2025.
Total Neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. XIX Congreso Internacional de
Cirugia General. Peruvian Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Lima, Peru. March, 2025.
HIPEC for colorectal cancer: end of an era?). XIX Congreso Internacional de Cirugia General. Peruvian Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Lima, Peru. March, 2025.
Treatment of metastatic and non-metastatic appendiceal cancer. XIX Congreso Internacional de Cirugia General. Peruvian Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Lima, Peru. March, 2025.
Not your Everyday DaVinci Colorectal Surgery Talk: lessons learned from
masochism to elation. Quebec Colorectal Surgery Symposium. Quebec City, CA. April, 2025.
Laparoscopic colectomy: surgical pearls (webinar). Sociedad de Cirujanos
Generales del Peru. July, 2025.
Getting go Guideline-Concordant Pelvic Floor Care. Eugene Sullivan Memorial Lecture. Annual meeting of the Northwest Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. Whistler, BC, Canada. July 2025.
Best of the ASCRS Clinical Practice Guidelines. European Society of
Coloproctology (Tripartite Colorectal Meeting). Paris, France. September 2025.
The Great Rectal Cancer Debates: Liver Metastases Synchronous vs. Staged Resection—Pro and Con of Neoadjuvant Therapy for T2 Lesions. American College of Surgeons - Clinical Congress, October, 2025. Chicago, IL.
Appendix cancer: what the general surgeon needs to know. Annual International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano. Oaxaca, Mexico. November 2025.
Best of ASCRS guidelines. Annual International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano. Oaxaca, Mexico. November 2025.
Lateral pelvic lymph node dissection for rectal cancer: when and how? Annual International Congress of Coloproctology. Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Colon, Recto y Ano. Oaxaca, Mexico. November 2025.
Hinchey III & IV: Primary anastomosis or Hartmann’s procedure? Evidenced-based decision making (diverticulitis webinar). Colegio Mexicano de especialistas en coloproctologia. February, 2026.
Liver Directed Therapies - What are the Options? Annual meeting of the
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Tampa Bay, FL. May 2026.
Getting more involved with surgical societies. University of Minnesota principles of colon and rectal surgery course (Transition to Practice). Minneapolis, MN. June, 2026.
Rectal cancer strategies – clear as mud. University of Minnesota principles of
colon and rectal surgery course (Transition to Practice). Minneapolis, MN. June, 2026.
Professional Memberships
American Medical Association
Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
Academy of Surgical Research
Sociedad Mexicana de Cirujanos de Recto, Colon y Ano, Honorary Member
Sociedad de Cirujanos Generales del Perú, Honorary Member
Clinical Summary
Colon and Rectal cancer; Appendiceal cancer; Anal cancer; Peritoneal Carcinomatosis and Cytoreduction/HIPEC/PIPAC; Small Bowel Tumors; Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery; Diverticulitis; Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis); Anorectal diseases; Pelvic floor dysfunction; Colonoscopy.