M. Gagner

Papers

Total Citations

1,036

H-Index

About

Michel Gagner is a pioneering bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon whose work has fundamentally reshaped modern surgical practice. Best known for his groundbreaking contributions to laparoscopic surgery, he performed the first laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 1994, a procedure that has since become the gold standard for treating morbid obesity. His research spans surgical innovation, metabolic surgery, and the application of advanced technologies in the operating room. Gagner's most cited work, "Transatlantic robot-assisted telesurgery" (2001, over 1,000 citations), demonstrated the feasibility of remote robotic surgery by performing a cholecystectomy on a patient in Strasbourg, France, from a console in New York—a landmark achievement that heralded the era of telemedicine and robotic-assisted procedures. This study alone has been cited more than 1,000 times, underscoring its profound impact. Beyond this, Gagner has authored hundreds of peer-reviewed papers on surgical techniques, outcomes, and the pathophysiology of obesity. His visionary work has earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious SAGES Distinguished Service Award, and he continues to influence a generation of surgeons through his teaching and relentless pursuit of safer, less invasive surgical solutions.