Gronau. A delegation of three urologists from Kyiv visited the Department of Urology at St. Antonius Hospital Gronau this week. Among the guests was Prof. Dr. Oleg Voylenko, Director of the National Cancer Institute of Ukraine. The aim of the visit was to gain an in-depth insight into robotic-assisted surgery in Gronau and to acquire practical experience with the technology.
During their stay, the Ukrainian physicians observed robotic procedures performed by the Gronau urology team and took part in intensive training sessions at the affiliated European Robotic Institute (ERI). The training introduced them step by step to robotic surgical techniques, beginning with virtual simulations of individual surgical steps and progressing to hands-on exercises using simulated tissue.
St. Antonius Hospital has extensive experience in robotic-assisted urological surgery. The technology has been used in Gronau for the surgical treatment of prostate cancer since 2006. In June of this year, the team performed its 25,000th robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Physicians from Germany and around the world regularly come to Gronau to receive training in robotic surgical techniques at the ERI.
The visit from Kyiv also had a special personal dimension: the delegation received practical guidance from senior urologist Yuri Zhylchuk, who is originally from Ukraine himself. For him, sharing his expertise with colleagues from his home country made the visit particularly meaningful.
The Ukrainian physicians were impressed by the extensive experience of the Gronau team and the highly standardized procedures established in robotic surgery. Their visit once again highlights the international importance of Gronau as a center for education and training in robotic-assisted urological surgery.
