St. Bonifatius Hospital in Lingen approaches 1,000 patients treated and defies expectations – delivering world-class stereotactic radiosurgery at volumes more than 5X higher than typical for its population
SAN CARLOS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a global leader in non-invasive robotic brain surgery, today announced that St. Bonifatius Hospital in Lingen, Germany is celebrating five years of delivering advanced stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) using the ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform – marking a major milestone in expanding access to elite brain tumor care beyond major metropolitan centers.
Following a steady yet ambitious ramp-up, annual patient volume has now surpassed 225 cases over the past year alone and continues to accelerate.
What makes this achievement particularly notable is Lingen’s size. With a population of just over 50,000, the town would traditionally be unlikely to support a high-volume dedicated SRS program. Historically, state-of-the-art radiosurgery has been concentrated in large urban academic centers, given the costs and complexities of previous generation SRS technology. St. Bonifatius Hospital’s ZAP-X program has fundamentally changed that paradigm.
Based on widely accepted estimates of approximately 800 SRS-eligible patients per million population (~0.08%), Lingen would be expected to treat only a small fraction of cases locally. Instead, the hospital is now treating more than five times greater volume than expected – largely attributable by attracting patients from across the region.
“When the ZAP-X was introduced five years ago, our goal was simple: to expand access to high-quality radiosurgery – especially for patients far from major academic hospitals,” said Edelgard Klassen, Case Manager at St. Bonifatius Hospital. “Today, we welcome patients not only from our local community, but from across Germany and internationally, with some traveling as far as 11,000 kilometers. It is deeply rewarding to reflect on the many positive outcomes achieved over the past five years.”
Stereotactic radiosurgery, a completely non-invasive and painless procedure, has emerged as a gamechanger in the treatment of many primary and metastatic brain tumors, as well as select neurological disorders. Often serving as an alternative to open surgery, SRS is typically completed in a single outpatient visit, often allowing patients to resume normal activities the same day – no incision, no anesthesia, and no pain.
“In 2023, I chose to undergo treatment with the ZAP-X system at St. Bonifatius Hospital for a meningioma,” said Monika, a wheelchair-bound patient living with multiple sclerosis, who requested partial anonymity. “Despite traveling more than 500 kilometers, I returned for a second radiosurgical procedure to treat trigeminal neuralgia. The experience was exceptionally gentle in every respect – especially when compared with more invasive surgical alternatives.”
The ZAP-X system features a breakthrough gyroscopic design that delivers radiation from thousands of unique beam angles, precisely targeting tumors while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and protecting critical structures such as the brainstem, optic nerves, and eyes. It is also the first vault-free SRS system, eliminating the need for costly radiation bunkers and enabling more accessible, patient-friendly installations. Powered by a modern linear accelerator, ZAP-X is the only dedicated cranial radiosurgery platform to eliminate reliance on Cobalt-60, avoiding the logistical, regulatory, and financial burdens of radioactive source management.
Together, these innovations are empowering hospitals like St. Bonifatius to deliver elite radiosurgical care – regardless of geography or size – while transforming access for patients worldwide.
About ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc.
ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a global leader in non-invasive robotic brain surgery, is committed to reducing the costs and complexities that limit access to world-class radiosurgery (SRS) for the brain, head, and neck. The company manufactures the ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform and is also pioneering new applications of high-precision SRS in areas such as depression, addiction, and obesity. Founded in 2014 by Dr. John R. Adler, Emeritus Dorothy & TK Chan Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiation Oncology at Stanford University, ZAP introduced the world’s first vault-free radiosurgery platform – eliminating the need for costly shielded treatment rooms and enabling flexible, high-visibility siting. ZAP-X also advances beyond legacy Cobalt-60 technology with a modern linear accelerator for safer, more sustainable care. Learn more at ZAP Surgical and follow us on LinkedIn.
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