The burden of liver disease is increasing in Dallas/Fort Worth and throughout the nation. In addition to alcohol abuse or misuse, there has been an alarming increase in the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a leading cause of cirrhosis.
The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth celebrated survivorship with joy, hope and fellowship at the ECMO Reunion on January 6. The event brought together ECMO patients and families from all over Texas to reunite with the physicians and staff members who made recovery possible.
ECMO technology provides advanced support for critically ill heart and lung patients, allowing time to recover or as a short-term bridge to transplant. Baylor Scott & White – Fort Worth is one of only three locations within the Baylor Scott & White system that offers ECMO capabilities. Since the ECMO program began at the hospital, over 200 patients have received this life-changing support.
Since 2019, the Advanced Heart and Lung Disease Center at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth has offered a specialized approach to managing patients with heart failure. While the center provides options for heart failure in its most advanced stage, it also focuses on preventing the progression of the condition.
The Valve Disorders Center at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Fort Worth offers streamlined access to experts in valve disease for physicians and their patients. By bringing together a dedicated team from multiple specialties, including cardiothoracic surgeons on the medical staff of Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth, patients with valve disorders get a comprehensive evaluation and access to innovative treatments in one place.
Amar Gupta, MD, FRCS(C), an abdominal transplant and hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center, was skeptical about the benefits of the robotic surgical system in complex liver surgeries. He saw it as a gimmick, something that was more industry-driven than something that would offer a real benefit to patients. After a week’s observation of a surgeon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who has performed more than 200 robotic hepatectomies, Dr. Gupta became a true believer in its value.
