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What is Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)? Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and serious disease that affects the blood vessels in the lungs. These vessels become too narrow or stiff, which increases the pressure in the pulmonary arteries. As a result, the right side of the heart has to work much harder to pump blood, which can weaken it over time. If left untreated, PAH can lead to right heart failure. There is another rare form called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is caused by blood clots in the pulmonary arteries (pulmonary embolism) and can present in a similar way to PAH. How to recognize pulmonary arterial hypertension? Symptoms may appear gradually. It is important to pay attention to them:Shortness of breath, even with moderate effort (climbing stairs, walking)Unusual, persistent fatiguePalpitations (rapid or irregular heartbeat)Chest painDizziness or faintingSwelling of the legs or ankles (edema)These symptoms are not specific to PAH, but if they persist, consult your doctor. Be aware: swollen legs and fainting (syncope) during exertion are very serious signs that require prompt medical attention. Who is at risk for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)? PAH can affect people of all ages, from early childhood to the elderly. Certain medical conditions predispose individuals to PAH and require annual screening by cardiac ultrasound—this is the case for autoimmune diseases (such as systemic sclerosis) and hereditary forms.Patients with congenital heart diseaseAutoimmune diseases (e.g., scleroderma, lupus)People living with HIVAssociated with certain drugs or toxic substances (e.g., amphetamine derivatives, Mediator®)Causes and risk factorsIdiopathic: no known causeGenetic: hereditary formAssociated with other diseases (e.g., heart defects, liver cirrhosis, autoimmune diseases)Related to certain medications or toxic substances (e.g., Mediator®, amphetamines, and some chemotherapy drugs)Pulmonary arterial hypertension in BelgiumThis is a rare disease: about 15 to 50 cases per million inhabitants. This likely represents several hundred patients, but many remain undiagnosed. Early diagnosis is essential to improve quality of life and longevity. What kind of medical care is needed for PAH? How is Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension diagnosed?Pulmonary function tests: You breathe into a device that measures your lung capacity. This helps rule out other respiratory diseases.Electrocardiogram (ECG)Echocardiography: A simple, painless test that assesses heart function and detects elevated pressure in the pulmonary arteries.Right heart catheterization: This is the key test to confirm PAH. A small tube is inserted into a vein to directly measure blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. The test is done under local anesthesia, is quick, and generally well tolerated.Chest CT scan or cardiac MRI: These provide detailed images of the heart and lungs and can detect abnormalities such as clots or malformations.Exercise testBlood testsWhat treatments are available?At homeOral medicationsVasodilators and antiproliferative agents: to widen the pulmonary vessels and alter their structureDiuretics: to reduce swelling and relieve the heart’s workloadOxygen therapy: If oxygen levels in the blood are too low, oxygen can be provided at home via a mask or nasal cannula.H.U.B also offers advanced outpatient therapiesContinuous infusions: Some treatments are administered continuously via a pump connected to a small catheter placed under the skin or into a central vein. These require specialized care.Targeted injectable therapies: Specific medications are injected regularly to relax the pulmonary arteries and improve blood flow.Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation: Supervised sessions of light physical activity to improve breathing during exertion, boost endurance, and manage stress and fatigue.Follow-up care may also include physiotherapists, nurses, psychologists, or dietitians, depending on the patient's needs.Specialized follow-up is essentialPulmonary Hypertension requires multidisciplinary care in a specialized center. At the Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B), the Pulmonary Hypertension & Heart Failure Clinic brings together:Expert cardiologists and pulmonologistsSpecialized nursesPhysiotherapists, dietitians, psychologistsSurgeons, geneticists, and radiologistsA personalized and coordinated care approachIn summary:PAH is a rare, serious but treatable diseaseSymptoms are often misleading: shortness of breath, fatigue…Early diagnosis helps improve quality of lifeEffective treatments exist, most of which can be done at homeH.U.B is a reference center for this condition  Need specialized advice or tailored follow-up? Would you like information for yourself or one of your loved ones?Contact the Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Failure Clinic at H.U.BBy phone at +32 (0)2 555 59 53 or by email at SecMed [dot] Cardio [dot] erasme [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (SecMed[dot]Cardio[dot]erasme[at]hubruxelles[dot]be) Coordination with your primary care physician is possible.

Pulsatile tinnitus Pulsatile tinnitus is characterised by pulsating in the ears or head in time with the heartbeat. It is very specific and can have a number of sources. In the case of vascular pulsatile tinnitus complaints such as high blood pressure, vascular malformations, arteriosclerosis or vascular tumours can cause an abnormal blood flow that results in pulsating noises in the ear. ENT disorders can also interfere with sound conduction and cause pulsatile tinnitus. In addition to pulsating noises in the ears, patients can also suffer headaches, sinus problems, vision problems, etc.   Care Pulsatile tinnitus has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients. However, treatment options are available to alleviate these symptoms. Diagnosis of this very particular pathology must be established by specialists who carry out the appropriate examinations. For optimal care, within the H.U.B the Erasmus Hospital proposes a joint consultation with a neurologist and ENT specialist who together can quickly determine whether it is indeed a pulsating tinnitus and propose a personalised treatment plan accordingly. Depending on the pathology’s underlying cause a number of options can be proposed, including risk factor management (in case of high blood pressure for example); medication; adoption of a healthy lifestyle; stress management; sound therapy to help reduce the perception of the pulsating tinnitus; in certain cases treatment of the vascular problem causing the tinnitus. This unique association of two specialists at a single consultation coupled with close multidisciplinary cooperation  permits more effective intervention to rapidly improve the quality of life of patients.  

On the occasion of Purple Day, we met with the Neurotechnology Department at Erasmus Hospital, a key player in the fight against epilepsy. The Neurotechnology Department: a key player in the fight against epilepsy At the forefront of epilepsy management, this department stands out as an indispensable player, providing specialized expertise and advanced technologies for accurate diagnosis and continuous patient monitoring. What sets this department apart is its mobility, availability, and versatility across other services. Utilizing portable electroencephalograms, the nurses in this department intervene whenever a neurological issue in a patient needs analysis, whether it be in neurology, intensive care, neonatology, geriatrics, or elsewhere. What sets this department apart is its mobility, availability, and versatility across other services Accurate diagnosis and continuous monitoring The Neurotechnology Department has a 5-room epilepsy exploration unit, capable of accommodating patients requiring thorough diagnostic evaluations of the frequency, intensity, and origin of their symptoms for hospitalization of at least 24 hours. Sometimes even in anticipation of surgical treatment for their epilepsy. The nurses in the neurotechnology department also perform outpatient procedures: electroencephalograms and evoked potentials. With exemplary responsiveness, essential mobility, and specialized expertise, it contributes to precise diagnosis and ensures continuous monitoring of epileptic patients, resulting in improved patient care. In the fight against epilepsy, the Neurotechnology Department at Erasme Hospital emerges as a key element in patient management. Affiche de présentation du Service de Neurotechnique Le service de Neurologie Contact: nathalie [dot] buffe [at] hubruxelles [dot] be

Trauma Center Since September 2022 the Erasmus Hospital has been an accredited “Trauma Center”.  A certification that recognises quality care for patients who have suffered a serious level 1 trauma. Every day at the Trauma Center a multidisciplinary medical and paramedical team acts to ensure that patient care is transverse and optimal. A chain of survival that begins with the 112 call and continues to patient stabilisation and through to rehabilitation. Whether the patients are victims of a road, occupational or domestic accident, a severe trauma is the principal cause of death for persons aged under 40. To guarantee effective care, the Erasmus Hospital has both the infrastructure and material and medical resources to permit a complete care pathway.     Quality charter The Erasmus Hospital is driven by a dynamic of continuous improvement rooted in a quality culture that is evident across all its activities and that involves all members of staff. Its missions of patient care, teaching and research are pursued in a context of continuous assessment and optimal rigour, transparency and security.    The hospital undertakes to:  Place the patient at the centre of its concerns so as to provide the desired care and services by integrating them in pre- and post-hospitalisation care.    Help develop new approaches to care and provide the most advanced care in its fields of excellence    Support the care activities with standardised, written practices    Encourage respect for the values and goals of the institution    Encourage the well-being of all members of staff by providing a working environment propitious to personal development   Provide a teaching tool of excellence for the community and university faculties and training colleges that provide vocational training in the field of health and care    Provide training in a humanist environment in which the youngest benefit from the skills and experience of more senor staff  Make available to university faculties and training colleges an effective tool for conducting or participating in all dimensions of research focused on medical and care activities.    The "Baby-Friendly Hospital" Label In 2008, the Maternity Department was proud to be awarded the "Baby-Friendly Hospital" label, renewed in November 2016. An international programme launched by the WHO and UNICEF, this label aims to ensure that every newborn and mother have an optimal health and well-being capital. It therefore encourages maternity wards and departments to encourage an early bond between mother and baby and to promote breast-feeding. In addition to providing an optimal diet for the baby, protecting against infections and allergies and preventing obesity, breast-feeding is also beneficial for the mother. For the latter, a reduced risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis and easier weight loss after childbirth are the two principal benefits.   To meet the conditions for label renewal, the hospital undertakes to:    Make every effort to encourage a solid bond between mother and baby during pregnancy, during delivery and after birth.     Inform and assist in making a well-informed decision on the method of feeding that is best suited to the mother and baby. Once the decision is taken, the Maternity Department undertakes to respect it and support the mother in her choice   Ensure that our staff benefit from specific training to provide quality support for mothers who decide to breastfeed their children.    Encourage initial skin-to-skin contact for at least one hour a day, from the time of birth. To reassure the baby, we encourage the mother to offer the baby her breast.    Avoid separating mother and baby during their stay in maternity. If the baby has to spend time in the Neonatal Department,  nurses help the mother to express breast milk, whenever possible in close proximity to the baby.    

Our culture of care Quality and Safety The Erasmus Hospital is committed to an active approach to improve care quality and safety. Quality and risk management is pursuing an ambitious goal of care quality and excellence, with particular attention to patient involvement at the different levels. We promote a quality management in which the hospital management, professionals and patients work together to build  a safer care system in which care providers are proud to provide the highest quality care and patients are sure of receiving the safest possible care.  Our quality is steered, recognised and known thanks to indicators that enable everyone to optimise their care activities throughout the patient pathway.  Risk management Our risk management policy aims to: Anticipate risks Ensure the safety of patients and staff and reduce the risk of error and incidents by:  Evaluating and prioritising identified risks per department, speciality or process Defining an action plan in the face of these risks Reporting a care incident by the patent/family We spare no effort in providing the highest quality care for all. But we are aware that incidents can occur during your own presence at our hospital or that of a child or loved one. It is important  to inform us of any such event  using this form so as to help us improve and ensure that it does not occur again Please note: This form does not constitute a complaint or request for mediation. For further information on this subject, please contact the mediation service  Undesirable events Analysis of undesirable events to avoid a repeat and increase care safety. This policy requires a proactive approach and cooperation between all members of the hospital team to create  a safe and secure environment.  Continuous information The monitoring indicators The Erasmus Hospital carries out a regular self-assessment thanks to the use of indicators. A care quality and safety indicator is a tool that makes it possible to evaluate a state of health, practice or event. This evaluation tool helps us to orient our improvement action plans and our priorities. The monitoring indicator is a managerial tool aiding decision-making and the follow-up of improvements.  Care quality is improved by analysing the indicator results, surveys of patient experiences and reports of undesirable events.  Accreditation The Erasmus Hospital management is committed to a process of accreditation with  Accreditation Canada (ACI). This is a continuous cycle with the aim of improving care quality.  Accreditation is a method of evaluating the conformity of the hospital processes as a whole against standards set and recognised internationally with the aim of  initiating and/or supporting and consolidating  measures for continuous quality improvement. The Patient Partnership The Erasmus Hospital awards great importance to developing the Patient Partnership More info Contact Quality, Safety and Patient Partnership service securite [dot] qualite [at] hubruxelles [dot] be  

Our role Interventional radiology is a set of techniques that are minimally invasive and use medical imaging to visualise, access and act on an organ for the purposes of diagnosis and/or treatment. Image Image Image We use ultrasound, angiography, scanners and sometimes MRI to carry out biopsies or ablations, place a stent or inject a treatment. In principle, this is possible for all the systems and most of the organs of the human body. Dr Fadi Tannouri Head of the Interhospital Department of Interventional Radiology at the H.U.B Our specialities The H.U.B’s Interhospital Department of Interventional Radiology is divided into 5 sections:   Vascular disease and embolization covers arterial or venous angiography and angioplasty (placing of a stent and prosthesis, in cooperation with  vascular surgery) and embolization. The latter consists of blocking a blood vessel for therapeutic purposes, to stop haemorrhaging for example.   The osteoarticular  section covers infiltrations, biopsies, the thermoablation of bone tumours and cementoplasty (injection of intraosseous “cement”) with or without percutaneous osteosynthesis, in cooperation with orthopaedic surgery. The nephrology, urology and gynaecology  sector covers the embolization of uterine fibroids, of benign  prostatic hypertrophy and of pelvic  varicoceles and varicose veins, as well as nephrostomy. This section also provides vascular access for dialysis and creates arteriovenous fistula by percutaneous means.  The oncological section permits the placing of implantable ports and PICC lines (venous access),  pain management through infiltration, neuroloysis or radiofrequency as well as the treatment of certain cancers (see Focus).   The thoracic pathologies section covers biopsies, haemostatic embolization, percutaneous ablation of lung tumours and thermoablation of benign thyroid nodules.    Interventional radiology also covers biopsies and drainage under ultrasound, radiological or tomodensitomety (scanner) control.     Our team Image Our specialists Focus Interventional radiology is used for a minimally invasive treatment of certain cancers and benign tumours. A number of techniques are proposed:   The destruction of liver, kidney and lung tumours by thermoablation (radiofrequencies, microwaves and cryotherapy);   Chemoembolization, radioembolization and portal embolization;    Thermoablation of benign thyroid nodules ; Embolization of prostatic arteries in the framework of benign hypertrophy of the prostate gland.    Forward-looking studies Percutaneous AVF creation outcome and complications Prostate artery embolization: comparing embolic material Varicocele embolization: comparing embolic material