News

Belgian lung specialists recommend environmentally friendly inhalers that produce better treatment results for lung patients

2 July 2019

The department heads of Belgian university hospitals are recommending the use of dry-powder inhalers to lung patients because they can deliver better treatment results for asthma and COPD. Moreover, they are far less damaging to the environment than traditional propellant driven aerosols.

Up to 70% fewer complications following oesophageal cancer

28 June 2019

Figures from the thoracic surgery department at UZ Leuven show that the quality of oesophageal operations is improving year on year. Particularly the number of complications after the operation has considerably decreased. On 1/07 2019, UZ Leuven was recognised as a centre of expertise for oesophageal surgery by RIZIV.

Minimally invasive keyhole operation is the future of complex pancreatic surgery

28 June 2019

From 1 July 2019 UZ Leuven will be a recognised centre of expertise for complex pancreatic surgery. In 2018, UZ Leuven performed 153 pancreatic operations of the most complex type, which made Leuven the only centre to handle more than 100 complex pancreatic operations that year.

New evidence that biological drug works for patients with Crohn's Disease

20 June 2019

Two recent Belgian real-world studies demonstrate that ustekinumab, a biological drug, is also efficient and safe in patients whom no longer benefited from the standard medication.

Artificial intelligence for the diagnosis of lung disorders

17 June 2019

ArtiQ, a KU Leuven spin-off company which helps doctors diagnose, treat and monitor respiratory disorders, has concluded its seed financing round with € 1 million. The money will be used to develop a software platform that will be able to quickly and reliably evaluate patients' lung capacity.

New treatment for rare sarcoma is very promising

14 June 2019

A recent European clinical phase II study identified a new, highly promising treatment for metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours or GIST, a rare form of sarcoma.

First Flemish patients receive invisible hearing implant

11 June 2019

The first patients recently received an ‘invisible’ hearing implant at UZ Leuven. Contrary to the hearing systems currently being used, this new system is fully inserted beneath the skin, enabling patients to also hear at night and giving them more freedom, for example, to engage in sports or to do their job.

UZ Leuven officially recognised as a European liver and kidney transplant training centre

24 May 2019

On 22 May 2019, UZ Leuven was officially recognised as a European training centre for abdominal surgical removal and liver and kidney transplantation. This makes UZ Leuven the only Belgian centre accredited to train Belgian and international transplant surgeons to perform liver and kidney transplants.

G-COACH: fewer complications thanks to intensive collaboration between care teams

20 May 2019

The cardiology hospitalisation units at UZ Leuven have been involved in the G-COACH research project for the past three years. This project introduced extensive collaboration between the cardiovascular diseases and geriatrics departments, in which both teams joined forces to treat and monitor older patients.

Discovery of new genetic defect explains rare disease

8 May 2019

Researchers at the Centre for Human Genetics and Sussex University have identified a genetic defect on the POLA1 gene which lies at the root of a rare syndrome. The disorder, which only affects males, is associated with growth disorders, smaller brains and learning disabilities.

Cancer risk smaller than expected in very elderly care home residents

25 April 2019

A recent study by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer found that very elderly care home residents are receiving cancer diagnoses twenty times less than expected. These findings tie in with an existing theory that ageing of the body cells creates a natural protection mechanism for disease

Genome Analytics Platform (GAP) for complete genome sequencing

24 April 2019

UZ Leuven, KU Leuven, Imec, UGent, Agilent, Western Digital and BlueBee are developing a unique solution to convert genome data quickly and cost effectively into useful information for doctors. The Genome Analytics Platform should facilitate genome sequencing in day to day hospital practice.