ENSurgery in Munich is possible in almost every surgical specialty: the city has two university hospital groups, among them TUM Klinikum, and large municipal and private hospitals. Patients from abroad often name the city themselves — because of direct flights from many countries, relatives or friends who live there, or their doctor’s recommendation.
Below are the surgical fields the city covers, examples of departments and their heads, and how preparation and the stay work. The city is not the only option, though: for a particular diagnosis, a strong specialist centre may be elsewhere in Germany. General advice on choosing a surgeon and preparing is on our page about surgery in Germany.
Which Operations Munich’s Surgical Departments Perform
Munich’s surgical departments operate in almost every field: abdominal and cancer surgery, urology, cardiac surgery, spine and joints, hand and microsurgery, and vascular surgery. Operations on the abdominal organs are called visceral surgery in Germany — a term found in many department names.
Most general surgery departments described below do part of their operations laparoscopically, through small punctures for a camera and instruments; the urology departments named here also use the da Vinci robot, controlled by the surgeon from a console. The surgeon chooses between open, laparoscopic and robotic surgery according to the diagnosis. For an overview, see our page on hospitals in Munich.
Abdominal and Cancer Surgery
Abdominal and cancer surgery is offered in Munich by university, municipal and private hospitals alike; here are some examples. At Rechts der Isar hospital, the university hospital of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the Department of Surgery is led by its director, Prof. Helmut Friess. Its fields include the pancreas, liver, oesophagus, stomach, bowel, gallbladder and bile ducts, endocrine surgery and organ transplantation.
At München Klinik Bogenhausen, Prof. Ayman Agha heads the Department of General, Visceral, Endocrine and Minimally Invasive Surgery; his focus is minimally invasive surgery on the colon, oesophagus, pancreas, adrenal glands and thyroid and parathyroid glands. At München Klinik Harlaching, Prof. Mia Kim heads the Department of General and Visceral Surgery; she specialises in colorectal surgery and proctology — diseases of the colon, rectum and anus.
At the Red Cross Hospital (Rotkreuzklinikum), the surgical department is headed by Prof. Wolfgang Thasler, who also leads the hospital’s bowel and pancreatic cancer centres; the hospital has a hernia centre as well. At the private ISAR Klinikum, Prof. Franz Bader directs the Department of General, Visceral and Minimally Invasive Surgery, which treats abdominal and rectal diseases, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and hernias, also with the da Vinci robot.
Urology, Heart, Spine: Other Surgical Fields in the City
The city also has a specialist urology clinic, university cardiac surgery and an orthopaedic hospital. The Urological Clinic Munich-Planegg puts robotic surgery at the centre of its work: by the clinic’s own figures, it performs more than 600 da Vinci procedures a year, and it has put a second da Vinci system into operation. The robots are used mainly for tumour surgery on the prostate, kidney and bladder. At ISAR Klinikum, Prof. David Schilling directs the Department of Urology, which also performs da Vinci surgery.
Cardiac surgery is represented by the German Heart Centre Munich, part of TUM Klinikum: its Department of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery is directed by Prof. Markus Krane, whose focus includes heart valve reconstruction and minimally invasive and robot-assisted techniques.
Spine and joint surgery is done, for example, at Schön Klinik München Harlaching, with centres for the spine, for knee, hip, shoulder and elbow surgery including joint replacement, and for hand surgery and microsurgery.
How an Operation in Munich Works for an International Patient
The process has three stages: a remote review of the records, the tests and operation in hospital, and a check-up before going home. Before travelling, the patient gathers medical reports, test results and scans — ideally the image files, not just reports. A surgeon in the chosen department reviews them and says whether and how to operate; the hospital then issues a cost estimate and, if needed, a visa invitation.
In the city, tests and talks with the surgeon and the anaesthetist come first, and the hospital sets the timing. Under Section 630e of the German Civil Code, the doctor must explain everything relevant to consent orally, in good time and in a way the patient understands, so an interpreter attends and the patient signs the consent form once everything is clear. Accommodation near the hospital can be arranged for companions.
After discharge come a check-up and a translated discharge letter, and the surgeon decides when it is safe to fly. If rehabilitation is needed, options in Bavaria are discussed with the treating doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose Munich just because AlenMed’s office is there?
No. The city should follow from the diagnosis, not from our address. Departments in almost every surgical field are available here, but for a rare or complex operation a more experienced department may be in another German city. We compare the options by each department’s experience with your operation and by the dates offered.
How much will the operation cost?
The exact amount appears only in the hospital’s cost estimate, prepared after the surgeon has reviewed your records. It depends on the operation and approach, the tests needed beforehand, the days in hospital and whether intensive care is required. Comparing estimates from different hospitals for the same operation makes sense.
How long will I need to stay in the city?
That depends on the operation and on recovery, so the hospital gives a guide after reviewing your records. Pre-operative tests and consultations come before the days on the ward, and a check-up follows discharge. The surgeon decides when it is safe to fly home, so a changeable return ticket is wiser.
How AlenMed Arranges Surgery in Munich
AlenMed arranges operations in Munich from its office in the city: you can meet us in person, and our staff know where the hospitals are and how their admissions work. We match the department to the diagnosis, pass your records to the surgeons, obtain the hospital’s cost estimate and help with the visa.
On site, we arrange airport pickup and accommodation, and an interpreter accompanies you at consultations, on admission and at discharge. The hospital invoices you directly. If a hospital in another city suits your diagnosis better, we say so plainly.
This material is for reference only and is not an offer. Whether to operate and which method to use are decided by the surgeon after an in-person examination.