Matthew Bacchetta

Transplant patient Connie Rankin was cleared to return home to Memphis just in time for the holidays. (photo by Erin O. Smith)
December 14, 2023

VUMC performs its first combined lung and liver transplant

Connie Rankin of Memphis, Tennessee, received Vanderbilt’s first combined lung and liver transplant, which involved dozens of specialists, including transplant teams for both organs.

By Matt Batcheldor
Nicole Hunter was the first patient to receive the novel transplant. (photo by Erin O. Smith)
September 27, 2023

VUMC performs novel reoperative lung and kidney transplant

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has performed its first combined reoperative lung and kidney transplant.

By Matt Batcheldor
April 13, 2023

Process rehabilitates donor livers for transplantation

Vanderbilt research demonstrated that injured human donor livers declined for transplant can be recovered by cross-circulation between the human liver and a xenogeneic host, or animal platform.

By Matt Batcheldor
April 6, 2023

System repairs donor lungs for transplantation

A Vanderbilt team has discovered that donor lungs rejected for transplant can be repaired using cross-circulation with a xenogeneic host.

By Matt Batcheldor
Mervyn Joseph traveled from South Africa to receive his lung transplant at Vanderbilt.
September 29, 2022

Patient journeys from South Africa for lung transplant

Mervyn Joseph, who searched the world over for the best place to be considered for lung transplant, is thankful he found Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

By Matt Batcheldor
Current and former ECLS (ECMO) fellows include, from left, John Stokes, MD, Yuliya Tipograf, MD, Yatrik Patel, MD, and Sean Francois, MD.
March 17, 2022

ECMO fellowship program provides lifesaving training

Vanderbilt’s extracorporeal life support fellowship gives new doctors two years of hands-on experience with a lifesaving critical care tool, one that has only become more important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Matt Batcheldor
February 16, 2022

Multicenter team seeks to create at-home artificial lung system

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is part of a multi-institutional teem seeking to create an artificial lung system that patients with incurable lung disease can use at home.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 24, 2022

Donna Atherton and Karen Pinkard are nurses who have worked together for years. The day Karen’s heart stopped at work, Donna was there to save her life.

A lot of people worked to save her life and help her recover. Thanks to them, Karen Pinkard is back at work.
By Tom Wilemon
October 14, 2021

New Clinician Spotlight: Caitlin Demarest

Caitlin Demarest, MD, PhD, recently joined the Department of Thoracic Surgery as an assistant professor, having been recruited to Vanderbilt by her mentor, Matthew Bacchetta, MD, MBA.
By VUMC News and Communications
April 1, 2021

COVID recovery included long stay on ECMO, double-lung transplant

Zach Lloyd was only 37 years old with no pre-existing health conditions, but COVID-19 was bringing him within an inch of his life.
By Matt Batcheldor
November 18, 2020

Collaborative Vanderbilt Lung Institute launches

By Matt Batcheldor
October 14, 2020

Bacchetta named associate chair of Thoracic Surgery

Matthew Bacchetta, MD, MBA, MA, associate professor of Thoracic Surgery, has been named associate chair of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Department of Thoracic Surgery, effective Sept. 1.
By Jill Clendening
October 8, 2020

COVID patient’s heart-lung transplant is world’s first

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has performed the world’s first dual heart-lung transplant of a COVID-19 patient.
By Matt Batcheldor