About

Education and professional activities

• 1979 - 1986 : Catholic University of Leuven - Degree of Medical Doctor (Magna cum Laude)
• Specialization in General Surgery in Heilig Hart Hospital Roeselare (1986 – 1990) and University Hospital Leuven (1990 – 1992)
• Super specialization in Abdominal and Laparoscopic Surgery at the Academic Hospital Groningen, the Netherlands (1992 – 1994)
• Since 1994: Staff member of the Department of General, Pediatric and Vascular Surgery, AZ Sint-Jan Brugge - Oostende AV
• Since 07/2011: Chief of Staff of the Department of General, Pediatric and Vascular Surgery, AZ Sint-Jan Brugge – Oostende AV (1200 beds – 300 specialists)

Clinical activities

• Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery :
  • 1400 cases /year
  • 25 % revisional procedures
• Upper GI surgery (esophagus/gastric and spleen surgery)

Teaching and Training

• Organizing Fellowships of 3 months to teach international surgeons (2-3 fellows/3 months)
• Organizing clinical courses every month: Clinical Immersions Covidien – Medtronic, EMEA and side-by-side courses Johnson & Johnson (+/- 150 observerships/year)
• Active participation at different teaching programs and postgraduate courses (BeSOMS, BGES, IRCAD) for residents and general surgeons
• Academic Consulent University of Gent ( 2010 – 2018)
• Course director of the international meeting ‘Master Class in Gastric Bypass’ 2006
• Course director of the 10th International B.E.S.T. Congress 2013 with J. Himpens and N. Kawahara
• Vice-president of IFSO EC Brussels 2014 (President Luc Lemmens)

Team of surgery