Surgery
Docs discover likely cause of pig heart transplant failure
A pig virus — and not organ rejection — appears to be the reason a man who lived for two months after a pig heart transplant ultimately died.
Bacteria living inside tumors help cancer spread through the blood
Intracellular bacteria promote cancer metastasis by enhancing the tumor cells' resistance to mechanical stress in the bloodstream.
Bedridden woman stands again thanks to spinal implant
A spinal cord stimulator is helping a woman who was bedridden for 18 months because she fainted every time she stood up regain her mobility.
Rare double lung transplant saves cancer patient’s life
A Chicago lung cancer patient’s successful double lung transplant is a ray of hope for others with the deadly disease.
Baby thrives after first-of-its-kind heart transplant
A baby’s first-of-its-kind heart transplant could help future patients avoid organ rejection and reduce the need for immunosuppressant drugs.
MIT engineers invent surgical “duct tape”
MIT’s biodegradable surgical tape is designed to seal tears in the gastrointestinal tract, potentially preventing sepsis-causing leaks.
Magnetic “seed” heats and kills tumors in new cancer therapy
A novel cancer therapy uses a magnetic “seed” to precisely target and kill brain tumor cells without the need for open brain surgery.
Surgery robot outperforms humans at “keyhole surgery”
Johns Hopkins' autonomous surgery robot, STAR, performed a tricky keyhole surgery on live pigs better than a human surgeon could.
Pig kidneys transplanted into body of brain-dead man
A brain-dead man was the recipient of two pig kidneys — a groundbreaking transplant that could help bring the organ shortage to an end.
Surgeons transplant pig heart into Maryland man
A pig heart is now beating in the chest of a man in Maryland, marking a huge step forward for xenotransplantation research.