News

Higher temperature storage of donor lungs reduces tissue damage and avoids overnight transplants

8 December 2022

A transplant patient at UZ Leuven has successfully received new lungs that were stored at 6°C instead of on ice. By storing organs at a higher temperature, there is less tissue damage. In addition, it makes it possible to store donor lungs longer and avoids overnight transplants.

Walk-in centre Leuven offers a warm meeting place for people with cancer and their relatives

1 December 2022

If cancer crosses your or that of a loved one's path, you probably have a lot of emotions, questions and needs. In the walk-in centre people will lend you an ear. Whoever you are, whichever path you've taken, the door is always open. You're also welcome for additional informationd and support.

Robot reduces margin of error in deep brain stimulation

17 November 2022

Neurosurgeons at UZ Leuven have successfully performed deep brain stimulation with the help of a robot. The robot has a highly accurate and stable target arm, which assists the surgeon inserting the elektrodes and biopsy needles in the right direction and the correct depth in the brains.

Anaesthesia during pregnancy does not have impact on the child's development

27 October 2022

UZ Leuven doctors have examined whether exposure to anaesthesie during the pregnancy has an impact on the brain development of the baby. The results are reassuring: no significant link was detected.

Study tests innovative CAR-T cell therapy after kidney transplant

18 October 2022

On 27 September a UZ Leuven patient was the first to be given a type of CAR-T regulatory cell therapy after a kidney transplant. The aim is to prevent rejection of the donor kidney and to enable a reduction in classic anti-rejection medication.

New tool lets children talk about their cystinosis with confidence

14 October 2022

An online tool lets children with cystinosis talk freely about everything they feel and think about the metabolic disease they have. In a virtual environment they are given tips and tricks by a presentation coach.

Digital follow-up for first patients with hearing implants

27 September 2022

For the first time UZ Leuven doctors and audiologists are testing telemonitoring in patients that were given a cochlear implant for the treatment of their loss of hearing. A new app makes digital follow-up possible for patients. As a result they don't have to come to the hospital that often for check-ups.

First successful treatment of ALS in patients with SOD1 mutation

22 September 2022

A new international clinical trial with tofersen confirms that the drug can stop ALS in patients with a SOD1 mutation. With this doctors and researchers show for the first time that, in principle, ALS is a treatable disease. The results have been published in NEJM.

Beneficial effects of a malignant brain tumour

1 September 2022

In a new trial dr. Brecht Decraene examines why some patients with a gioblastoma survive ten times longer than the average 15 months. Acquiring insight in the causes, would make it possible in the future to develop more targeted treatments for this type of cancer.

Mechanism behind deadly fungal infection on top of influenza or Covid-19 deciphered

25 August 2022

Over 15 per cent of all critically ill patients who end up in intensive care with severe influenza or Covid-19 additionally develop aspergillosis, a pulmonary fungal infection. This doubles their mortality rate. A UZ Leuven and KU Leuven trial with international partners has revealed the underlying mechanism.

Therapy resistance in ovarian cancer unraveled

12 August 2022

Ovarian cancer is generally treatable with platinum-based chemotherapy, but in time, almost all patients relapse because the tumour cells become resistant. A preclinical trial led by UZ Leuven and KU Leuven discovered a mechanism that is at the base of platinum resistance.

New type of adrenal surgery

9 August 2022

Doctors at UZ Leuven have recently become adept in a new surgical technique to remove the andrena gland. Special about this is that access is done via the back, rather than the classic access via the abdomen. The advantage of this technique is that the patiënt experiences less pain afterwards and recovers more quickly.