Clinical Expertise, Surgical Innovation & International Education
Professor Darlene Lubbe is an ENT surgeon and academic in the Division of Otolaryngology at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town (UCT). She specialises in rhinology, endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery, with particular expertise in minimally invasive endoscopic approaches to complex conditions involving the nose, sinuses, orbit and skull base.
Her career combines specialist clinical practice with surgical innovation, research and the training of surgeons internationally. A central focus of her work is the development and refinement of surgical techniques that improve patient care and expand treatment options.
Pioneering Surgical Approaches
Professor Lubbe is recognised for her contributions to the development of endoscopic transorbital surgery, a minimally invasive approach that enables surgeons to access selected areas of the orbit and skull base through the eye socket.
Working closely with ophthalmologists and neurosurgeons, she has helped advance techniques for managing complex skull base conditions, including sphenoid wing meningiomas. Her work includes developing collaborative surgical approaches that combine endonasal and transorbital access.
She is a founding member of the Endoscopic Transorbital Society (ETOS), an international group of neurosurgeons and ENT surgeons dedicated to advancing transorbital surgery through research, education and surgical training.
Innovation in Airway Surgery
Professor Lubbe is also the co-inventor of the Trachealator, a non-occlusive balloon dilation device developed for the management of tracheal stenosis (narrowing of the windpipe).
Unlike conventional balloon dilators, the device is designed to allow continued airflow during dilation, addressing an important challenge in the treatment of patients with compromised airways.
The Trachealator received a Gold Award at the 2021 Medical Design Excellence Awards in the United States, recognising its contribution to medical device innovation.
Academic Leadership and International Training
Professor Lubbe leads the Karl Storz Sub-Saharan Africa Rhinology Fellowship Programme at the University of Cape Town, providing advanced training in rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery.
Through this programme, she has trained ENT surgeons from across Africa and internationally, including Turkey, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Several former fellows have subsequently taken on academic and surgical training roles in their home countries.
She is also actively involved in international surgical education, contributing to specialist courses, conferences and collaborative training initiatives.
Research and Education
Professor Lubbe’s research focuses on rhinology, endoscopic skull base surgery, transorbital surgical approaches and innovations that address complex clinical challenges.
Her academic contributions include peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and collaborative research exploring new surgical techniques and approaches to patient care.
She is also co-founder of Anatomex, which develops three-dimensional anatomical models for surgical simulation, training and education.
Her work reflects a commitment to translating clinical experience into practical innovation, sharing knowledge across disciplines and supporting the next generation of surgeons.
Inaugural Lecture
To mark her appointment as Professor at the University of Cape Town, Professor Lubbe delivered her inaugural lecture in August 2025. Titled Otolaryngology Through a South African Lens – Journeys, Innovations and Global Perspectives, the lecture reflects on her professional journey, surgical innovation and the importance of collaboration, mentorship and advancing specialist care in South Africa.
Qualifications
- MBChB (Stellenbosch University), 1996
- FCORL(SA), 2003
Media & Features
Professor Darlene Lubbe’s work has attracted media attention for her contributions to surgical innovation, specialist patient care and medical education. Her pioneering work has featured on national television and in medical publications, alongside stories highlighting some of the more unusual applications of her expertise.
Selected coverage
- Transorbital Surgery Is a Game Changer — Mediclinic: A feature exploring Professor Lubbe’s pioneering work in minimally invasive skull base surgery.
- Groundbreaking Surgery on a French Bulldog: The remarkable story of an operation to help a young bulldog breathe normally.
- Blood, Grit, and Global Breakthroughs — UCT News: A profile of her surgical career, innovations and commitment to training the next generation of surgeons.