Friends from UMC Utrecht Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis
Supporting Dr. Tytgat's Research at Wilhelmina Children's Hospital (WKZ)
We've chosen to support the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and the groundbreaking research led by Dr. Tytgat and his team, who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for children after life-saving surgeries. Their work is a testament to why research matters.
As strong believers in the power of technology and medical innovation, we host an official charity auction after every convention. Our guests contribute unique items, whether personal belonging, signed merchandise, set pieces, or autographed banners and posters. Every bid makes a diffrence, with all proceeds going directly to Dr. Tytgat and his surgical research team to further their vital work.
Together, we can help shape a brighter tomorrow for the future generations.
Dr. Stefaan Tytgat, the head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital – University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands
Dr. Stefaan Tytgat serves as the head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital – University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands. Following his general surgical training at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, he specialized in pediatric surgery in Utrecht under the supervision of Klaas Bax and David van der Zee. The department has a long history of minimally invasive abdominal and thoracic pediatric surgery and has hosted many international visitors and interns with an interest in this field over the years.
With more than 280 procedures performed in the last twenty years, the thoracoscopic treatment of esophageal atresia has become the primary focus for Dr. Tytgat and his team. New treatment strategies have also been introduced, including the thoracoscopic external traction technique for long-gap atresia and primary thoracoscopic posterior tracheopexy to prevent respiratory complications due to tracheomalacia.
Research team
Expertise Center for Congenital Esophageal and Respiratory Abnormalities Utrecht.
The expertise center for congenital esophageal and Respiratory abnormalities in Utrecht is internationally known for its work on children born with a abnormality of the esophagus (esophageal atresia) and weakness of the trachea (tracheomalacia). Our goal is to achieve the best results, with as little damage as possible. That is why we’ve developed minimally invasive keyhole surgery techniques and pay a lot of attention to protect all vital organs. Newborns and young patients from all over the Netherlands and foreign countries come to Utrecht for treatment in our expertise center.
Our healthcare professionals play a leading role in developing new treatment techniques for esophageal and airway abnormalities. Much research is being done into the characteristics and progression of this condition, followed by the impact of innovative treatments on the health and development of children. Congenital abnormalities of the esophagus or airways have a major impact on the life of the child, the parents and their environment. Thanks to scientific research, we are gaining better insight into the long-term consequences and how the treatment can be further improved. Our researchers focus, among other things, on comparing the impact of these conditions and on safely and sustainably improving the care and health of these vulnerable patients.