Abdominal surgery

UZ Leuven doctors compared the survival rate of patients with pancreatic cancer after minimally invasive surgery versus classic open abdominal surgery. Their conclusion is clear: patients treated with minimally invasive surgery have a better longterm survival rate and are less likely to relapse.

In Flanders, the survival figures of patients with rectal cancer are of the highest in Europe. But figures can be improved still. Leuven doctors warn that there are still big differences in the results between hospitals and push for more centralisation via a volume standard.

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.