General · Bariatric · Robotic Surgery

Expert surgical care that treats the whole patient.

Dr. Baker Henson, DO, FACS provides advanced minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery in Hickory so you can recover faster, with less pain, and a clear plan for every step before and after the operating room.

Book an Appointment Preparing for surgery Recovering after surgery

For patients before surgery

Learn your procedure and get ready.

See how each operation works, what to stop taking, how to prepare the night before, and what to bring to the hospital.

Before Surgery Guide

For patients after surgery

Clear recovery instructions at home.

Diet phases, lifting limits, incision care, pain control, and when to call the office — organized by procedure.

After Surgery Guide

Surgical specialties

Procedures patients come here to understand.

Choose your procedure to read what it is, why it is recommended, and what recovery usually looks like.

Bariatric Surgery

Robotic gastric sleeve and gastric bypass for long-term weight loss and improvement of diabetes, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.

Learn about weight-loss surgery →

Hernia Repair

Minimally invasive repair of inguinal, umbilical, ventral, incisional, and hiatal hernias, with robotic mesh placement when appropriate.

Learn about hernia surgery →

Gallbladder & General

Robotic gallbladder removal, skin and soft-tissue surgery for lipomas, cysts, and selected skin cancers.

Learn about general surgery →

Colorectal Surgery

Care for colon cancer, diverticulitis, and anorectal conditions using a robotic approach whenever it is the safer option.

Learn about colorectal surgery →

Robotic Surgery

How the da Vinci system works, who controls it, and why smaller incisions often mean less pain and a faster return to daily life.

Learn about the robot →

Patient Resources

New-patient checklist, insurance questions, forms, and after-hours guidance in one place.

Open resources →

Meet your surgeon

Board-certified. Fellowship-minded. Focused on Hickory.

Dr. Baker Henson is a board-certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His practice is built on three things patients say they need most: clear explanations, compassionate care, and modern minimally invasive technique.

He operates at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Surgical Specialists in Hickory and is affiliated with Catawba Valley Medical Center and Frye Regional Medical Center. Outside the operating room, he serves as Vice President of Access Health Africa, providing surgical care and training in underserved communities.

Education DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2011

Residency General Surgery, Pinnacle Health Hospitals, 2016

Board certification American Osteopathic Board of Surgery

Patients Adults · in-person visits · new patients welcome

Full biography

Why patients choose this practice

Advanced surgery, explained in plain language.

Robotic precision

Most hernia, gallbladder, bariatric, and colon operations can be performed through keyhole incisions using the da Vinci system, which Dr. Henson controls at every moment.

A plan you can follow

This site is built so you can reread pre-op and post-op instructions at 2 a.m. without hunting through a stack of papers.

Whole-patient care

Surgery is one step. Nutrition, activity limits, follow-up labs, and honest conversation about risks are part of the same plan.

Patient reviews

What patients have shared

Real published reviews from third-party sites, quoted with attribution. We do not invent testimonials.

★★★★★

“Visited wth Dr Hensen on 7/10/26 for a hernia on lower left side(around waist line area). Was diagnosed with Inguinal Hernia. After brief discussion surgery was scheduled for 8/3/26. Arrived @5:30am, was heading back home with my ride by 8:30am same day! Was back at work the next Monday( 1week), was ok’d by Dr Hensen just no heavy lifting. I have serious medical preconditions. This was all discussed including pre-op procedures and handled very professionally by entire staff. There is some expected soreness and tenderness, but that is dissipating very quickly day by day. Thank you, Dr. Henson and entire staff!”

Inguinal hernia patient · via Healthgrades · Aug 18, 2026

★★★★★

“Dr. Henson was wonderful! I had Roux en y by him on 12/27/2019. He checked on me many times throughout the first night, from his home.... following my surgery. He is amazing and very caring. He is genuine and has a sweet humble spirit. I love that he goes to Africa and performs surgery to many who can not afford surgery. I would definitely recommend Dr. Henson to anyone.”

Bariatric patient · via ObesityHelp

★★★★★

“I want to thank dr Henson for preforming my hernia surgery when he got in I had 2 hernias he fixed both then my plastic surgeon doctor done my panniculectomy and fixed my roll that I had from weight loss and children - thanks to both of them for doing a excellent job without a lot of pain - he will be a excellent doctor for you .”

Hernia patient · via Vitals · Feb 17, 2020

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