When Jessica Wu, MD, talks about surgery, she doesn’t describe procedures so much as problem solving. Every patient, every hernia, every repair is different; that challenge is what drew her to a career in minimally invasive surgery.
Now part of UTMB’s faculty in the Department of Surgery, Dr. Wu specializes in complex abdominal wall and hernia reconstruction, using advanced minimally invasive and robotic techniques.
“Minimally invasive surgery lets us take something that used to be very hard on patients and make it much easier on their bodies,” she says. “That’s what makes this work so meaningful.”
Originally from The Woodlands, Texas, Dr. Wu completed both her undergraduate degree and medical school education at The University of Texas in Austin. After medical school, she decided to broaden her experience, completing her general surgery residency at the University of Southern California. During residency, she dedicated an additional year to research in minimally invasive surgery, deepening her interest in the field.
“We can take surgeries that used to require big incisions and do them with small ones. That allows for faster recovery and less impact on the patient,” Dr. Wu says.
She later pursued a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at Emory University, gaining advanced training across a wide spectrum of laparoscopic and robotic procedures.
“With today’s technology, especially robotic surgery, we’re able to reduce the morbidity of surgery and help patients get back to their lives more quickly,” she says.
Dr. Wu returned to Texas to be closer to family and to build her career in an academic medical center. She saw UTMB as the ideal place to combine clinical excellence, innovation, and education.
At UTMB Dr. Wu performs a wide range of general surgery procedures, with a primary focus on hernia repairs. For many patients, hernias are more than a surgical diagnosis; they are a daily limitation. Large or recurrent hernias can interfere with work, exercise, and basic activities, and may cause pain or discomfort for years.
“When you see how much these hernias affect someone’s quality of life, it’s incredibly rewarding to help restore their function,” Dr. Wu says. “Being able to reconstruct the abdominal wall and give patients their mobility and confidence back is one of the best parts of my job.”
Dr. Wu treats both inguinal (groin) hernias and complex abdominal wall defects, including recurrent hernias that have failed previous repairs.
“No two cases are the same,” she says. “Every patient’s anatomy is different, every hernia is different, and it really feels like solving a puzzle.”
Dr. Wu works with referring physicians and primary care providers to help patients optimize their health prior to surgery, so repairs will be lasting. Smoking cessation, diabetes control, and weight management all play critical roles in surgical outcomes.
“In some cases, patients can’t lose the weight they need on their own because the hernia limits their activity,” she explains. “Bariatric surgery can help them reach a healthier weight, and then we can repair the hernia under much better conditions.”
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Wu is committed to medical education. She chose to join an academic medical center specifically to teach residents and medical students, building on years of mentoring during her training.
“I had mentors who guided me throughout my career, and I still rely on them today,” she says. “Being able to do that for the next generation of surgeons is really important to me.”
 | Jessica Wu, MD, sees patients at the UTMB Health General Surgery clinics at Clear Lake Campus and the UHC in Galveston. Learn more about minimally invasive and robotic general surgery at UTMB Health. |