Austin Medical Times

Page 10

Austin Medical Times

Page 10

Hospital News St. David’s South Austin Medical Center Offers New Robotic Technology for Biopsies In Hard-To-Reach Areas of Lung

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t. David’s South Austin Medical Center recently became the first in Central Texas to use a new robotic system, along with advanced imaging technology, to enable physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung—an area that can be challenging to access with existing technology. Physicians often recommend a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis after a mass or nodule is discovered on the lung. Biopsies involve obtaining a tissue sample from the suspicious area, then examining the cells under a microscope to determine if cancer or another disease is present. There are a number of ways to obtain tissue for biopsy. The approach taken usually depends on the size of the nodule, the location within the lung and a person’s

overall health. “Because the lung is often a difficult place to get biopsies, this new, robotic-assisted approach represents an advancement in the existing approaches to lung biopsies,” William Bartek, M.D., medical Intuitive Ion Staff in room at Work. Image courtesy: ©2021 Intuitive Surgical, Inc. director of pulmonology at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, said. “This system, allows navigation far into the also provides direct vision during along with advanced imaging peripheral lung. During a bronchoscopy navigation. Once the catheter reaches technology, provides us with better procedure, physicians use the controller the pulmonary nodule, it locks into access and increased precision, which to navigate to the target area. The place, and the flexible biopsy needle can produce quicker results and may catheter can move 180 degrees in any passes through the catheter. The direction to pass through small, diffi- needle is then deployed into the target help avoid additional biopsies.” The Ion Endoluminal cult-to-navigate airways and around location to get a sample of the lung System features an ultra-thin, tight bends to reach all portions of tissue for further analysis. ultra-maneuverable catheter that the lung. The peripheral vision probe

Dell Children’s, UT Health Austin Celebrate 6-Month-Old’s Heart Transplant After 74 Days on Berlin Heart Ventricular Assist Device, Zaria Heads Home with Donor Heart

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oin Dell Children’s Medical Center and UT Health Austin, the clinical practice of Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, as six-month-old Zaria Grace Jackson heads home after a donor heart transplant at Dell Children’s. Zaria received her heart transplant on March 25. Zaria first arrived at Dell Children’s emergency department on January 8, presenting symptoms

May 2021

and signs of heart failure, and was quickly admitted to the pediatric cardiac care unit. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, and the cardiac team determined Zaria’s best chance for survival was a heart transplant. The cause of her heart failure is uncertain. On January 11, a Berlin Heart Ventricular Assist Device was

implanted in Zaria while waiting for a donor heart. The device functioned in place of her own heart when it became too weak to pump sufficient amounts of blood to the lungs or the rest of her body. The Berlin Heart supports patients in heart failure and offers a bridge to life for a child awaiting a heart transplant.

austinmedtimes.com

The Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease at Dell Children’s Medical Center began the heart transplant program in July 2020. This is the fourth heart transplant to have taken place at Dell Children’s.


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