Kocher

Kocher is a surname of German origin. It is associated with several individuals and, in medical and surgical contexts, with instruments and procedures named after prominent surgeons and clinicians.

The most notable bearer is Theodor Karl Kocher (1841–1917), a Swiss physician who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1909 for his work on thyroid surgery. Kocher advanced techniques for thyroidectomy and helped promote safer surgical practice through meticulous technique and attention to anatomy. His contributions influenced broader surgical approaches and patient care in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Several medical terms and instruments bear the Kocher name. The Kocher forceps, also called Kocher clamps, are curved surgical instruments with teeth at the tips used to grasp tissue and control bleeding during procedures. The Kocher incision, a right subcostal abdominal incision, is used to expose the stomach, duodenum, and surrounding structures in abdominal surgery. These eponymous terms reflect Kocher’s impact on surgical technique and education.

Beyond medicine, Kocher may refer to other individuals with the surname or to places and institutions named in honor of people bearing the name. In general, Kocher is most widely recognized in medical literature for Theodor Kocher and the surgical tools and methods associated with his legacy.