Medical Devices Fall Short for Children

"Innovation in medicine is driven by need, but also by the market," said Dr. Michael R. Harrison, the director emeritus of the Fetal Treatment Center and the director of the Pediatric Device Consortium, both at the University of California, San Francisco. "Big markets have lots of folks developing devices, but small markets like the pediatrics market don't."

Maternal Liver Grafts More Tolerable for Children with Rare Disease

Children with a rare, life-threatening disease that is the most common cause of neonatal liver failure - biliary atresia - better tolerate liver transplants from their mothers than from their fathers, according to a UCSF-led study......"This result is exciting because it supports the concept that trafficking of cells between the mother and the fetus has functional significance long after the pregnancy is over," said senior author  Tippi MacKenzie, M.D., assistant professor of pediatric surgery at UCSF and a fetal surgeon at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. "This is a topic we are actively studying both in animal models and in patients who have fetal surgery. Practically speaking, this study may allow us to counsel families in which both the mother and father are willing and able to be a donor."

Ronald McDonald House Charities Honor UCSF’s Michael Harrison

Michael R. Harrison, MD, founder and director emeritus of the Fetal Treatment Center at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, was recognized last week for his contributions to life-saving fetal surgery with the Ronald McDonald House Charities Medical Award of Excellence.

"Inside Surgery", The Department of Surgery Newsletter, Summer 2012

This issue of Inside Surgery describes several exciting developments that are advancing our ability to provide outstanding care for a range of patients including the new Hepatobiliary Service, under the direction of  Carlos Corvera, M.D., which provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with liver and bile duct disease. Other topics include updates on  Endocrine Surgery, San Fancisco General Hospital's Wraparound Project, and notable rankings of our surgeons within U.S. News & World Report annual update.

Magnet trial an attractive option for kids with sunken chest

Surgeons at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco are using magnets to reshape the breastbones of children who suffer from Sunken Chest Syndrome. The technique is undergoing phase 3 clinical trials, but the doctors hope to prove that long term magnetic force is as effective and less painful than conventional surgery.

UCSF Recognized for Trial of the Year

The Society of Clinical Trials has named UCSF's Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS), a review of prenatal versus postnatal surgery for myelomengingocele (spina bifida), as its Trial of the Year. The study earned recognition as an important clinical trial that overcame difficulties and produced remarkable results.

Magnets May Pull Kids With Sunken Chests Out Of Operating Room

A new method for repairing Pectus Exacavatum using magnets and an external brace, developed by  Michael Harrison, a pediatric surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco's  Benioff Children's Hospital, could provide an alternative to the surgery.

Kids With Chest Wall Deformities Get Comprehensive Care at Clinic

Justin is being treated at the UCSF Comprehensive Center for Chest Wall Deformities, a new interdisciplinary pediatric clinic at  UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital that offers a wide range of interventions for children with all types of chest wall deformities, from common to complex. Justin has the most common chest wall deformity called pectus excavatum, a congenital disorder which causes the chest to have a sunken or "caved in" appearance.

Amar Nijagal, M.D. awarded M. Judah Folkman Memorial Award for two consecutive years

Dr. Amar Nijagal was awarded the M. Judah Folkman Memorial Award by the American Pediatric Surgical Association at the 2012 APSA Annual meeting for his work entitled "Fetal Intervention Triggers the Activation of Paternal Antigen-Specific Maternal T Cells." Dr. Nijagal is currently a General Surgery resident at UCSF and has worked in Dr. Tippi MacKenzie's laboratory in the UCSF Division of Pediatric Surgery for the past three years. In 2011, he was also awarded the M. Judah Folkman Memorial Award for his presentation on "The Maternal Adaptive Immune Response Against Paternal Antigens Incites Fetal Demise After Fetal Intervention". This award is bestowed annually for the most outstanding research presentation given during the APSA Annual Meeting. Dr. Eric Jelin also received this award in 2009 for his work on the "Effects of Notch4 On Lung Vascular Remodeling."

UCSF Pediatric Surgery publishes CDH patient guidebook for iPad

UCSF Pediatric Surgery has published thier first interactive Patient Guide iBook for the iPad. This multimedia guidebook is a free educational resource for families who are faced with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH). More guidebooks are being planned as well as epub versions for other ebook readers.

The inspiration for this project is a direct result of the generous support of the CDH research and patient education grant provided by the Nayeli Faith Foundation.

Hanmin Lee, M.D. appointed Surgeon in Chief of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital

Dr. Hanmin Lee has been named Surgeon in Chief of the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Dr. Lee has been a champion for pediatric surgical care in the Department of Surgery for many years. He is a professor of Clinical Surgery, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and his leadership roles include Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery and Director of the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center. In his new role as Surgeon in Chief, he will be responsible for inpatient and ambulatory surgical care and the continuum of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of surgical patients. He will lead the effort in building and fostering relationships with referring physicians and organizations in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area, and will take a leadership role in the planning for operations in the new UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital at Mission Bay. 

Hanmin Lee, M.D. Selected as one of UCSF’s "Exceptional Physicians of 2012"

Hanmin Lee, M.D.  has been selected as one of the UCSF Medical Center's "Exceptional Physicians of 2012". Dr. Lee is Professor, Surgery, Pediatrics, Ob-Gyn and Reproductive Health Services, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Director of the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center, and the Surgeon-in-Chief of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. This award is given annually to physicians who have distinguished themselves as role models and demonstrate the values of UCSF Medical Center, namely professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence.

Surgeons Seek Kid-Sized Tools for the Operating Room

UCSF has received about a million dollars since 2009. That money has supported the development of tools to treat scoliosis, kidney failure and sunken chest, among other conditions. The pectus, or sunken chest device, is in clinical trials.

UCSF Consortium Collaborates to Invent Medical Devices for Children

The UCSF "D'Vice Squad," a group of innovators from across the Bay Area, has drawn from diverse disciplines over the last two years to develop medical devices for children.

Now the squad's hard work has been rewarded with a $1 million grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand its work over the next two years.

Zarate strikes critical balance in disclosures

Doctors call Vilma Zarate's role as an administrative analyst in University of California, San Francisco's fetal surgery department invaluable to both faculty and patients. For faculty, Zarate carefully crafts grant and funding applications and coordinates clinical trials. Patients, on the other hand, benefit from the clear and thoughtful consent documents Zarate creates to help them understand the risks of cutting-edge medicine.