procedures we offer in belgium

• Gastric Band
• Gastric Bypass
• Sleeve Gastrectomy
• Gastric Balloon
• Revision Surgery

For additional details, try reading:
Haley's Gastric Bypass Diary, or Marie's Gastric Band Diary.

Your Surgeon

Curriculum Vitae of Dr Bruno Dillemans

Our surgeon, Dr Bruno Dillemans, is a well renowned expert in obesity surgery with recognised credentials and experience.

He has performed over 6,500 Bariatric procedures and operates out of AZ St.–Jan AV Hospital in Bruges, Belgium

BRUNO DILLEMANS

Born : 27th January 1961
Place of birth : Leuven
Nationality : Belgian

Married to Kathleen Sintobin
Children : Julie, Charlotte and Laura

Address :

Department of General Surgery
AZ St.–Jan AV
Ruddershove, 10
B-8000 BRUGGE (Belgium)
Tel : + 32 (0) 50 452560 (Secr.)
Fax : + 32 (0) 50 452571 (Secr.)

STUDIES

Medicine Studies

• 1979- 1986 : Catholic University of Leuven , Graduated ‘Magna cum Laude’.

Specialisation in General Surgery :

•  1986 - 1990 : Heilig Hart Hospital, Roeselare
•  1990 - 1992 : University Hospitals Leuven

Super Specialisation in Abdominal and Laparoscopic Surgery

• 1992 - 1994 : Academic Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Surgical Activities

Since 1994 : Staff member of the Department of General Surgery AZ St.- JAN AV , Brugge (940 beds)

He performs 1.300 Upper GI surgeries a year, 900 of them are pure Bariatric procedures ( Lap Band, Lap Vertical Banded Gastroplasty , Laparoscopic or Open Gastric Bypasses and (rare) Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch).

He has several certifications of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery with active participation at different teaching programs and postgraduate courses ( SOSB, BGES, IRCAD) for residents and general surgeons. Tyco Healthcare recently recognized him as an ‘Expert’ in Advanced Bariatric Surgery with teaching services and performing ‘live’ procedures for Bariatric Surgeons from Europe. He is renowned as ‘Expert in digestive surgery ‘ for IRCAD ( Strasbourg).

He has given numerous oral and video presentations at International Congresses (EAES, IRCAD, EUROSURGERY, OESO) with topics around bariatric surgical procedures, laparoscopic treatment of reflux oesophagitis, laparoscopic splenectomy etc. He performed the first laparoscopic gastric bypasses in the United Arab Emirates ( University hospital, Al Ain) June 2005 and in the Sultanate of Oman ( Royal Hospital, Muscat) January 2006. He was invited expert at the ‘First Laparo-Endoscopic Congress for the Middle East ‘ in Dubai, May 2006 . He was course director of the international meeting ‘ Master Class in Gastric Bypass’ in AZ St JAN AV in Bruges, June 2006

Other Medical Activities :

President of the Medical Council of AZ St. Jan AV (1999-2002) and (2002 -2005).
Vice- President of the Medical Council of AZ St. Jan AV (1996-1999) and (2005-2008).
President of the ‘Commission for External Relations’, AZ St. Jan AV Bruges, Belgium.
President of the Advisory Board of ‘AZ Nieuws’, Belgium.
Secretary General of the SOSB ( Belgium Section for Obesity Surgery)
Board Member of the BSUGI ( Belgium Section of Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgery)
Board Member of the BGES ( Belgium Group of Endoscopic Surgeons)
Board Member of the BSAWS ( Belgium Section for Abdominal Wall Surgery)
Redaction Member of the RBSS ( Royal Belgium Society for Surgeons)

DR DILLEMAN'S TEAM OF DIETICIANS IN BRUGES

Martine Harnisfeger	Annick DeVriese	Hannelore Declercq

The Hospital

ALL SURGERY IS CARRIED OUT AT AZ ST.JAN AV IN BRUGES, BELGIUM

Sint Jan Hospital is situated just outside of Bruges, in Northern Belgium.
It is approx 15 minutes by bus or taxi from the centre of Bruges.
Dr Dillemans team speak fluent English and all documentation is provided to you in English.
These are the standard minimal timelines Dr Dillemans would like you to be available in Belgium, therefore, please be mindful of this when booking our European option.

GASTRIC BAND (laparoscopic) - 1 night at the hospital :

•  2 days before surgery : arrival in Bruges and transfer to the hotel
•  1 day before surgery : transfer to the hospital. You will be there from 10.00am to approx 1.00pm. You will have a consultation with Dr Dillemans dietician and Dr Bruno Dillemans, the surgeon. Blood tests and other tests if necessary will be carried out during your consultation , the afternoon is free for visiting Bruges.
•  Day of surgery : to be at hospital at 08.30 am in the morning - surgery – 1 night at the hospital
•  1 day after surgery : leave hospital back to hotel at about noon - night at the hotel
•  2 days after surgery : rest at the hotel, Dr Dillemans private nurse will visit you in your hotel to re-dress your wounds if necessary - night at the hotel
•  3 days after surgery (or indeed later) you are free to travel home.

RNY GASTRIC BYPASS /SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY/ REVISION SURGERY (laparoscopic) - 3 nights at the hospital :

•  2 days before surgery day : arrival in Bruges and transfer to the hotel
•  1 day before surgery : transfer to the hospital. You will be there from 10.00am to approx 1.00pm. You will have a consultation with Dr Dillemans dietician and Dr Bruno Dillemans, the surgeon. Blood tests and other tests if necessary will be carried out during your consultation , the afternoon is free for visiting Bruges.
•  Day of surgery : to be at hospital at 08.30 am in the morning - surgery + night at the hospital
•  1 day after surgery : stay at the hospital (incl night)
•  2 days after surgery : stay at the hospital (incl night)
•  3 days after surgery : leave hospital at about noon (12.00 - 13.00) after a last consultation with Dr Dillemans and back to the hotel
•  4 days after surgery : rest at the hotel – Dr Dillemans private nurse will visit you in your hotel to re-dress your wounds if necessary - night at the hotel
•  5 days after surgery : rest at the hotel/visiting Bruges - night at the hotel
•  6 days after surgery (or indeed later) you are free to travel home

What to do in Bruges

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS IN BRUGES…...

YOUR HOTEL:

HOTEL ACACIA **** (4 stars) in the centre of the beautiful town of Bruges :

This hotel (see www.hotel-acacia.com) is located in the very heart of town at 100 m from the central market place, and right in the middle between the 2 main shopping streets. Once you are in the hotel you do not need to use cars or a taxi to visit Bruges. Everything is within a range of maximum 100 to 400 metres. And if you are accompanied by relatives it is very important to know that on the central market place you have a bus every 10 minutes (line 13) to the hospital which is located outside the centre of the town (about 15 minutes by bus) and is the most cost effective option of getting to the hospital at under 2 euros per person. The hotel offers all possible comfort and accommodation you can expect from a 4 star hotel . All rooms have shower, bath, and toilet. And you can enjoy the free use of a covered swimming pool, jacuzzi, billiard, bar, garden, cable TV and internet access in all rooms.

The hotel even caters for patients dietary requirements after surgery and ‘liquid only’ room service menu is available to patients only at a very reasonable rate.

Hotel Acacia ****(Best Western Group) Korte Zilverstraat 3a-5 B-8000 Brugge Phone : +32(0)50.34.44.11 Fax : +32(0)50.33.88.17

Email : info@hotel-acacia.com Website : www.hotel-acacia.com Owner : Mr Frank Versick Director : Mrs Bal

HANDY TRAVEL TIPS:

•  Bruges has a temperate climate much influenced by it's proximity to the sea. The approximate temperature in Bruges in June is 21°C (70°F). The unpredictable climate means you should be prepred for rain
•  The phone system is reliable and extensive. Public phone booths are plentiful. The dialing code for Bruges is 050 - you always need to use the local area code even if you are calling inside the area
•  Bruges is regarded as extremely safe because of it’s compactness and the number of tourists wandering it’s streets. There is very little crime, though obviously it makes sense to take elementary precautions
•  Visitors from EU countries only need an identity card (or passport) to enter Belgium
•  Telephone numbers: Police is 101; Accidents/emergency is 112; Fire brigade/ambulance 100
•  Citizens of Bruges are open, friendly and patient. Dutch is the main language but English is spoken by many
•  The unit of currency in Belgium is the Euro and there is not limit on the amount of Euros or other currency that can be brought in or taken out
•  Time differences: Bruges is one hour ahead of London time
•  It is perfectly safe to drink tap water in Belgium

WHAT TO DO :

Guided tours allow you to explore parts of the city that you might not discover on your own. Groups and individuals can book qualified guides in advance from the tourist office tel: (050) 44 8686. A 50 minute tour round Bruges by bus is operated by Sightseeing Line tel: (050) 355024, with minibuses departing from the market at regular intervals. Bruges’ canals can be explored 10am –6pm daily in Summer.

One of the main attractions that is local to your hotel is the beautiful main square. This houses some fantastic shops, cafes and museums. You may even choose to enjoy yourself on a horse and cart tour

The main shopping street in Bruges is Steenstraat, off the market (MARKT).

One of the great charms of the museum collection of the City of Bruges is its splendid diversity: from the Flemish Primitives to contemporary art, from classic ‘fine arts’ to archaeological finds, furniture, silver, folklore… In short, something for everyone!

PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR THE BRUGES TOURIST BOARD FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO PRINT OFF A CITY MAP
www.brugge.be

Bruges’ Monuments	Bruges’ Museums	Bruges’ Cathedrals/churches

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN DUTCH :

Phrase	In Dutch	Pronunciation
Good morning/afternoon	Goedemorgen/middag	Ghoodermorghern/middahkh
Please	Alstulieft	Ahlstewbleeft
Thank you	Dank u	Dahnk ew
Yes/No	Ja/Nee	Yaa/nay
Do you speak English?	Spreekt u Engels?	Spraykt ew ehngerlss
Excuse me	Pardon	Pahrdon
How much is it?	Hoeveel kost het?	Hoovayl kost heht

Venues...