Interventional radiologist and researcher Prof. Jim Reekers (Academic Medical Center – University of Amsterdam) has been awarded the Brilliant Failures Award Care 2014.
Reekers evaluated a new treatment method for fibroids (meat trees) in the womb. An embolization (close) of the blood vessels that feed the fibroid – turns out to be significantly cheaper, leads to shorter admissions and is less invasive, while quality of life is equivalent to uterine removal – the standard procedure. However, the study did not lead to more frequent use of the new treatment. De bottleneck: the attending gynecologists are not very willing to 'hand over' their patients to another specialist, namely the interventional radiologist. The title of Reekers' entry is therefore not for nothing: Results achieved in the past, offer no guarantee for the future.
