Meet our team of experts

Kristoff Corten

Orthopedic surgeon

Prof. Dr. Corten is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in muscle-sparing reconstructive surgery of the hip joint.

During his doctoral research, he focused on optimizing the anterior approach for placing a total hip replacement. For this purpose, he co-developed special instruments such as the Gripper and the EsySuit. These innovative products significantly contribute to surgery efficiency.

Prof. Dr. Corten also strongly believes in the multidisciplinary approach throughout the patient’s treatment process. The team of the European Hip Center was put together for this purpose.

Much attention is paid to the unburdening and framing of the patient, his or her immediate environment and local caregivers. Here, the use of digital applications that guide the patient and family plays an important role. At the same time, these applications provide scientifically based follow-up and evaluation.

Creating a vision for the future is crucial to building the European Hip Center into a place where hip patients receive the best care. The pillars of our vision are: a warm, human framework, with de-care for the patient and his environment. And a multidisciplinary consultation that involves the patient.

“For me, care is first and foremost about improving someone’s quality of life.Not about solving a problem. I want to really involve each patient and their environment and surround them with warm, human guidance. When you do that, you see that people feel better faster.”

Frans-Jozef Vandeputte

Orthopedic surgeon

Dr. Frans-Jozef Vandeputte is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in muscle-sparing surgery of the hip and pelvis. His focus is on degenerative and traumatic conditions as well as sports injuries.

He is a staff member at Oost-Limburg Hospital and was prepared during his surgical training by Prof. Dr. Corten and Dr. Ronald Driesen. Afterwards, he visited centers abroad for specific training.

Furthermore, Dr. Vandeputte is involved in research at Hasselt University. His research project is on “The role of the peri-articular muscle envelope in the direct anterior approach to total hip replacement. He emphasizes the importance of science-based preparation and follow-up.

Dr. Vandeputte strongly believes in multidisciplinary consultation to address complex pathology as a team. The surgical aspect is only part of a treatment pathway and support from the Hip Coaches and care coordinators is essential.

“Sport injuries around the hip joint are close to my heart. Our goal is to allow an athlete to experience their passion again pain free. Together with this team, we are building optimal support for this population.”

Cigdem Sarac

Orthopedic surgeon

Dr. Cigdem Sarac is an orthopedic surgeon trained in prosthetic surgery. Together with the Hip Coaches, she forms the YAHU (Young Adult Hip Unit), where they look for personalized exercise programs tailored to young clients with hip problems.

She was trained throughout her training in the anterior approach for prosthetic surgery. Following her training, she received intensive training from Prof. Dr. Corten for 2 years. Dr. Sarac also continued to focus on the muscle-sparing treatment of young patients with hip problems.

At Park Medical Center, she is the team’s lead surgeon. She helps many patients there with the EDA muscle-sparing hip replacement technique developed by Prof. Dr. Corten.

“I like to pay close attention to the young person’s story, experiences and complaints. Like all the other members of my team, I think the involvement of each patient in the entire hip process is crucial. From excellent preparation to customized post-treatment. Only in this way do we achieve complete satisfaction.”

Stijn Roose

Hip Coach

Stijn Roose is Master in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, with a specialization in Sports Physiotherapy. As a Hip Coach, he forms the bridge between client, hip specialists and personal physiotherapist or doctor. In this way, everyone gets the maximum out of rehabilitation. Together with Prof. Dr. Corten, he developed the Hip Coach Concept.

His mission? To get the most out of rehabilitation. He does this by conducting a specific analysis, looking for the patient’s work points. He will work with the patient to create a personalized exercise program to address the hip problem through a personalized exercise regimen. Meanwhile, he has done more than 4,000 hip analyses over the past 4 years.

In his senior year, he completed his internship in Australia. Here he noticed that communication, education and stimulation to activity are the foundation of the patient’s journey. This through a personalized rather than generalized approach.

To achieve this, Stijn Roose developed the HipCloud application. The HipCloud is an application, which both the patient and his or her physical therapist can use to obtain the best possible treatment trajectory and follow-up.

He is also active in scientific research. In 2022, he collaborated in a study of “Risk factors for iliopsoas tendinopathy after direct anterior total hip arthroplasty” with Prof. Dr. Corten among others. Stijn Roose is co-author of 3 scientific articles.

“I believe very strongly in the combination of communicating with people, making them understand their bodies and encouraging activity. A personal approach rather than a blanket approach. That’s the basis of any successful hip program.”

Alice Deman

Hip Coach

Alice Deman holds a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physical Therapy, with a specialization in manual therapy and advanced communication.

After completing her studies, she immediately started working as a Hip Coach. In doing so, she was challenged to develop deep clinical reasoning in a holistic manner. She was trained to build a 360° patient centered plan and creatively devise functional solutions.

Alice Deman she further specialized in female hip pathologies, subspecializing in hip dysplasia. Soon the need for integrated women’s care became clear. Therefore, with the Women Hip Unit, she also wants to create awareness among women themselves. That they themselves know that there can be a relationship between hip and hormonal complaints. Here the strength and knowledge of the hip specialist, Hip Coach, gynecologist, hormone coach and physical therapist are combined.

“I am convinced that the treatment of female pelvic pain can be further improved. This is by integrating women’s care more and understanding the female body better. I am ready to learn all the time. My motivation and enthusiasm are important assets to move the whole team a stone down the river.”

Abner Sergooris

Hip Coach

Abner Sergooris, PhD, holds a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physical Therapy, with a specialization in Sports Physical Therapy.

He started a doctoral project at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences of Hasselt University. His research interest is focused on characterizing individuals with hip osteoarthritis and identifying predictive factors for outcomes after total hip replacement. In doing so, he focuses primarily on unraveling the pain experience and the influence of psychological factors, including fear-avoidance behavior and psychological trauma, as well as the effects of pre- to postoperative rehabilitation after total hip replacement.

His passion in practice lies in diagnosing and treating people with chronic hip and groin pain, such as femoroacetabular impingement and osteoarthritis. At the European Hip Center, Abner Sergooris, PhD, aims to contribute to improving treatment pathways for hip disorders so that people with hip pain receive the best care and treatment. His experience as a physical therapist and his dedication to scientific research motivate him to turn the results of my research into effective treatments. Ultimately, his goal is to contribute to a better quality of life for people with chronic hip problems.

“Everyone has the potential to grow both physically and mentally, step by step, driven by a positive mindset.”

Hedda Van Braeckel

Hip Coach

Hedda Van Braeckel is a Master of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physical Therapy, with specialization in Sports Physical Therapy.

Her master’s thesis focuses on mentally supporting elite athletes during their transition to retirement. At the same time, she started working as a Hip Coach, focusing on deepening her analytical and clinical reasoning skills as well as further developing her communication skills.

By investing in a patient-centered approach, she strives to provide optimal science-based support for each individual. Highlighting each patient’s unique strengths can contribute to a broader, holistic approach for embarking on an individual rehabilitation pathway.

Hedda’s specific interest in the relationship between hip and hormonal complaints drive her to continue building the Women Hip Unit with Alice. 

“I firmly believe that hip patients can walk an enlightening path by taking into account specific needs and vulnerabilities and strongly believe in fostering a recovery path through personalized guidance on lifestyle, exercise and positive attitude. In short, a healthy mind-body connection is central to my vision.”

Gina Schorreels

Practice Manager

As practice manager, Gina Schorreels organizes the running of our practice and manages our care coordinators. She manages our doctors’ diaries, supports them in their day-to-day activities and minimizes their administrative burden. She quickly refers any concerns to the right people. With over 10 years’ experience at UZ Antwerpen and UZ Leuven, Gina knows all there is to know about supporting doctors and accompanying patients.

Engagement is as important as medical care. There is nothing more annoying than being left with questions at a time when you should only be concerned about your recovery, and looking forward to the possibilities your renewed hip will bring. Gina Schorreels commits herself every day so that doctors and clients can get to the heart of their business.

“Customized to the patient”: that best describes my way of working. Engagement is as important as medical supervision. My primary concern is not to make the doctor’s life easier, but rather the day of our clients. The more burden I can take away from them, the better.”

Cara Van Reymenant

Care coordinator

As care coordinator, Cara Van Reymenant is the first point of contact for patients after surgery and translates patients’ needs into better communication and care. She is also vigilant in ensuring that care and services for patients are followed as well and efficiently as possible.

Cara guides patients through their journey. She monitors communication through the HipCloud and guides our patients through the sometimes complex maze of administration and appointments. She is the central coordinator to ensure your journey runs smoothly and efficiently, within the realistic possibilities of availability.

“With us, the patient should feel welcome and carried. We want to create an unconditional relief and hospitality in which our clients feel warm and understood. Unburdening our patients by taking on as much of the administrative tasks as possible should help them to truly focus on their core mission: getting better.”

Jolien Van Dun

Care coordinator

After working as an obstetrician for 5 years, Jolien Van Dun made the switch to general nursing.

She has worked at the Red Cross donor center and you will see her at work in our practice as a care coordinator and nurse practitioner.

As care coordinator, she is a point of contact for patients. You can contact her for all kinds of questions regarding your trajectory and treatment in our practice. She also walks with you during the consultation, does an initial intake interview and takes care of the administrative handling of the consultation.

As a nurse, Jolien is in charge of blood draws and assists with injections given by the doctor.

Gerben Coudyzer

Care Coordinator

Gerben studied nursing for four years and focused on complications in hip replacements during his undergraduate thesis. He studied how to minimize these risks.

During his studies, he completed an internship in the operating room, where he gained practical experience in a surgical environment. After graduation, he expanded this knowledge as a nurse in the operating room. This gave him a strong foundation in both pre- and post-operative care.

As a care coordinator and nurse, Gerben strives to treat every patient with care, empathy and professionalism. He believes that high-quality care is not only about the best medical treatments, but also about personal attention and support.

“My goal is to create a safe environment at every stage of the care process, where patients feel heard and understood. Working closely with the expert team, I continue to strive to improve and innovate in the delivery of care. I want to give every patient the confidence that they are in the best hands so they can focus on their recovery.”

Femke Sprankenis

Creative Hip manager

Femke Sprankenis obtained a Master’s degree in Biology, after which she further developed in Science Communication and Medical Illustration.

As Creative Hip Manager, she fulfils a versatile role. For instance, she is responsible for increasing the online visibility of the European Hip Centre. She also strives to make scientific knowledge about hip-related conditions and treatments accessible to a wide audience. To this end, as a medical illustrator, she also creates accurate illustrations to support explanations of various hip pathologies.

Moreover, as a graphic designer, she takes care of the visual aspect of all communication, aiming to convey complex information to patients in a clear and visually understandable way.