surgery

May 2, 2023

VUMC surgical tech cheers on daughter Grace West on NBC’s “The Voice”

Daryl Rembinski’s family moved to Nashville from Detroit to support Grace’s singing career

By Nancy Humphrey
gloved hand handling sterile surgical tools
December 14, 2022

Surgical risk persists for patients who’ve had COVID

Vanderbilt researchers report that the trend of decreasing postoperative risk for people who have had COVID persists longer than previously known, for as long as 13 months after COVID.

By Paul Govern
May 6, 2022

Janet Darnell received a lifesaving lung transplant. Five months later she received lifesaving surgery for colon cancer. She calls herself a “walking miracle.”

Without the lung transplant, the cancer may never have been detected.

By Matt Batcheldor
November 19, 2019

Getting the goods on obesity

Obesity and two post-operative complications linked with it have associated genetic variants in common, suggesting that obesity may be the culprit.

By Paul Govern
September 30, 2019

Her dad needed a kidney; hers didn’t match. But through paired donation, her dad got a kidney and so did another person in need.

Her blood type was B and his was A. So they went to Plan B.

By Matt Batcheldor
January 30, 2019

“You don’t need to be afraid.” A 10-year-old’s words of comfort to an adult facing surgery.

Leslie McDaniel had never had surgery in her life and was apprehensive. Bethany Lafata, 10, is already an expert at preparing for surgery, so she shared encouragement and advice.

By Christina Echegaray
August 20, 2018

Andie Perona, part of the VUMC transplant team, receives double organ transplant

The transplant team surgical technician found herself on the other side of the table as a kidney and pancreas transplant recipient. It transformed her life.
By Tavia Smith
July 19, 2018

Post-surgical complications

One out of five deaths within 30 days of surgery are associated with a complication, suggesting that prevention and better treatment of common complications will improve postoperative mortality rates.
By Leigh MacMillan
March 22, 2017

Blocking neuroblastoma cell growth

An inhibitor of cell metabolism may be a good therapeutic target for neuroblastoma, which accounts for about 15 percent of pediatric cancer-related deaths.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 8, 2016

Report highlights global need for surgical services

An estimated 5 billion people — two-thirds of the world’s population — do not have access to surgery because of a lack of facilities, money and trained surgeons and anesthesiologists.
By Bill Snyder
March 22, 2016

John Sawyers, a steady hand in the operating room and as head of Surgical Sciences, dies at 90

By Wayne Wood
April 17, 2015

Stuffed animals bring bacteria to OR

Stuffed animals that pediatric patients bring to the operating room are a reservoir of bacteria that can be effectively sterilized in a household washer/dryer the day before surgery.
By Leigh MacMillan
November 24, 2014

Twelve Vanderbilt faculty elected AAAS fellows

Twelve members of Vanderbilt's faculty have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.”
By Bill Snyder