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Fetal Treatment Center In the News

  • 01 Nov 2011: 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.

    UCSF Consortium Collaborates to Invent Medical Devices for Children (UCSF News)

  • 17 Oct 2011: Five UCSF Scientists Named to Institute of Medicine

    Doctor Diana Farmer and four other UCSF faculty members have been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

    Five UCSF Scientists Named to Institute of Medicine (UCSF News)

  • 29 Jul 2011: 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.

    Zarate strikes critical balance in disclosures (San Francisco Business Times)

  • 9 Feb 2011: Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida More Effective Than Operating After Birth

    Diana Farmer, surgeon-in-chief at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, says this landmark study offers real hope for improving the lives of children with spina bifida worldwide.

    Thirty years ago, the first human fetal surgery was performed at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Now, a randomized controlled trial has proven definitively that fetal surgery can help certain patients before birth.

    UCSF Fetal Treatment Center: Spina Bifida
    Fetal Surgery Helps Spina Bifida, Study Says (NYTimes)
    A Birth-Defect Breakthrough: Prenatal Spinal Surgery (NPR)
    Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida More Effective Than Operating After Birth (UCSF News)
    Study brings hope for babies with spina bifida (5 KSL)
    New clinical trial looks at ways of treating spina bifida (azfamily.com)

  • 18 Jan 2011: Mother’s stem cells likely key to treating genetic disease before birth

    UCSF researchers have tackled a decade-long scientific conundrum, and their discovery is expected to lead to significant advances in using stem cells to treat genetic diseases before birth. Through a series of mouse model experiments, the research team determined that a mother’s immune response prevents a fetus from accepting transplanted blood stem cells, and yet this response can be overcome simply by transplanting cells harvested from the mother herself.

    Mother’s stem cells likely key to treating genetic disease before birth (UCSF News)

  • 3 Oct 2010: Teen Girls’ Obesity Surgery May Raise Birth Defect Risk

    A report by Diana Farmer, MD, chief of pediatric surgery at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, has highlighted a possible link between gastric bypass surgery in adolescent girls and an increased risk for neural tube defects in their future children.

    Teen Girls’ Obesity Surgery May Raise Birth Defect Risk (UCSF News)

  • 8 Sep 2010: Larry Rand being named the Benioff Endowded Chair in Maternal Fetal Medicine

    Dean Hawgood has just appointed Larry Rand, M.D., as the holder of the Lynne and Marc Benioff Endowed Chair in Maternal and Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. An endowed chair is a highly honored academic position that acknowledges a faculty member’s excellence and provides invaluable research and other academic support.

    Faculty and Staff Milestone in Ob/Gyn & RS (UCSF OB/GYN)

  • 25 May 2010: Diana Farmer Highlighted in the UCSF Annual Report

    Diana FarmerThere's little doubt that Diana Farmer is a pioneer in her field - she is the world's first female fetal surgeon and only the second American woman to be inducted into the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons of England, a rare honor for any physician, man or woman...

    UCSF fetal surgeon helps little guys everywhere (SF Chronicle)
    SF Chronicle Profiles Pediatric Surgeon Diana Farmer (UCSF Today)

  • 15 Nov 2008: Ad Campaign Raises Awareness of UCSF Medical Center’s Innovation

    Michael Harrison MD Dr. Harrison helped change the face of medicine. Today, UCSF is building a medical complex where scientific innovations become life-saving treatments ... Read More

  • 21 Aug 2008: In Utero Surgery on WYCC Chicago PBS

    look into the incredible life saving techniques available during pregnancy today - featuring Dr Michael Harrison, OBGYN University of CA, San Francisco, and Andrea Merkord mother of triplets. Real Moms, Real Stories, Real Savvy Episode 411 airs in Chicago on channel 20 (21 DT), August 23, 3:00pm

  • 2 May 2008: Diana Farmer Highlighted in the UCSF Annual Report

    Diana Farmer, MD As a pediatric surgeon, Diana Farmer, MD, knows the future can be changed. Her groundbreaking work has brought about brighter futures for hundreds of infants and children who might have otherwise faced a life coping with disability from spina bifida or other devastating disorders... Download the PDF of the annual report

  • 4 Feb 2008: Chief of Pediatric Surgery on Oprah

    Diana Farmer sml Diana L. Farmer, MD, is featured in the Monday, February 4, episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show titled "Should a 340-pound Teen Have Gastric Bypass Surgery?" ... Read More

  • 8 Nov 2007: Novel magnet treatment used to correct sunken chest

    Pectus IllustrationUCSF has created a groundbreaking new procedure to treat chest deformities in children and teens. This minimally invasive procedure is already transforming one 14-year-old's life.

    View ABC News Highlights
    Read Full Story in San Francisco Chronicle

  • 12 Sep 2007: ‘Expect a Miracle’ - Unwavering Faith through Fetal Surgery

    Expect a Miracle New book written by Andrea Merkold, a former patient of the Fetal Treatment Center. “Expect a Miracle” is the amazing true story of a mother faced with two experimental fetal surgeries.

    Find out more:

    Read the Thomas Merkord Story
    “Expect a Miracle” (Tate Publishing)
    “Expect a Miracle” (Amazon)


  • 19 Jul 2007: UCSF Golf Classic benefit Oct 1st 2007

    UCSF Medical Center is holding a Golf Classic event to benefit the Fetal Treatment Center and the Heart & Vascular Center. This fundraising event prides itself on being a venue for community-minded sponsers.

    If you or your company would like to participate or sponsor a hole please download our Golf Classic Invite [PDF]

  • 27 May 2007: Online visits a boon for far-off patients

    San Francisco Chronicle - The UCSF Fetal Treatment Center -- one of the first places in the world to perform surgeries in the womb -- has started offering online consultations to families that have received a frightening diagnosis about their fetus and want a second opinion.

    Full Article

  • 9 May 2007: Hanmin Lee, MD, announced as the new Director of the Fetal Treatment Center

    Dr Hanmin LeeAs the new Director of the Fetal Treatment Center, Dr. Lee will continue the Center's and its co-founder Dr. Michael Harrison's pioneering spirit of multidisciplinary research and innovation to improve our understanding of fetal disease and further advance the treatment and management of infants and children. Dr. Harrison will continue as Director Emeritus of the Fetal Treatment Center.

    Full Announcement

  • 30 Apr 2007: Bay Area Doctor Pioneers Fetal Surgery to Save Lives

    newborn KGO-TV, ABC 7 News - It’s every soon-to-be parents’ worst nightmare. Everything seems ok, and then during a prenatal check-up they get the news, their baby has a deadly birth defect. But now, new techniques and technologies allow doctors to go inside the womb and save lives.

    Article and Video at KGO-TV ABC News

    Supplementary Article on KGO-TV: Research Summary: Surgery on the Smallest Patients

    Announcement from UCSF Today

  • 28 Feb 2007: Surgery on the Smallest Patients

    News 14 Carolina - Pediatric surgeon Hanmin Lee, MD, of the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center, operated on newborn Arissa Mangewala to correct a birth defect where her intestines protruded outside her body. Arissa just celebrated her first birthday, and her parents feel blessed she has a healthy future ahead of her.

    Announcement from UCSF Today

    Article and Video on News 14 Carolina

  • 24 Oct 2006: Fetal Treatment Center Patients Reunite at UCSF

    Mother and childUCSF Today - Children who are survivors of a life-threatening congenital defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) after being treated at UCSF’s Fetal Treatment Center were reunited last Friday.

    Read the article

  • 24 Oct 2006: Children’s Hospital Welcomes Babies, Families to Reunion

    Mother and childUCSF Today - Princesses held court and superheroes saved the day in Saunders Court on Saturday when children with their families joined the nurses, social workers, doctors and others who cared for them as babies at the UCSF Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) reunion.

    Read the article

  • 20 Oct 2006: Renowned Children's Hosptial Surgeon Lauded by Pediatricians, Surgeons

    UCSF Today - Renowned fetal surgeon Michael R. Harrison, MD, was honored by two of the nation’s most prestigious medical professional organizations last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Surgeons, for his contributions to both fields.

    Read the article

  • 18 Aug 2006: Desperate Measures

    Dr Hanmin LeeScience - Twenty-five years after the first fetal surgery was performed, doctors and ethicists are trying to learn whether and when the drastic procedures work—and whether they're worth the frightening risks.

    Read the article [PDF - 555KB]
     

  • 13 Jul 2006: 10th Annual Sean Philip Nicholson Memorial Golf Tournament

    The Kids ‘n’ Mom's Foundation presents the 10th Annual Sean Phillip Nicholson Golf Tournament on Monday, August 14th 2006. If you are interesting in hitting the greens for a good cause please visit Kid's ‘n’ Moms.
    Read the Article

  • 19 Jun 2006: Discovery Show to Feature UCSF Fetal Surgeon

    Dr Hanmin LeeUCSF Today - Pediatric surgeon Hanmin Lee, MD, part of the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center, will be featured in today’s (June 19) episode of “Medical Incredible” on the Discovery Health Channel.

    The program includes a segment on Jennifer and Ron McGee, whose fetus was treated at UCSF for a teratoma of the neck—a condition that threatened the life of both mother and child. Following the successful surgery to remove the growth, the fetus was returned to the womb and Jennifer completed a successful pregnancy.

    Read the article

  • 29 Mar 2006: Pelosi Celebrates Opening of New Fetal Treatment Center

    Talking to US Rep. Nancy Pelosi are, from left, mother Ann Gorath and Roxanne, who is three months old.UCSF Today - US Representative Nancy Pelosi joined UCSF Medical Center CEO Mark Laret recently to inaugurate the new UCSF Fetal Treatment Center.

    Read the article

    Watch video of Nancy Pelosi:
    Quicktime, Real, or Windows Media

    Watch video of Dr. Harrison:
    Quicktime, Real, or Windows Media

  • 28 Mar 2006: Father of Fetal Surgery Looks Ahead

    UCSF Today - In an interview with UCSF Public Affairs, Harrison says that it all began with a clinical necessity—to save the lives of babies who would be unable to sustain life once they were born.

    Read the article

    Listen to the interview: UCSF iTunes Podcast or Download the mp3

  • 13 Feb 2006: Indo-US Symposium on Neonatal and Fetal Surgical Anomalies and Role of Stem Cells Transplantation

    Dr Michael Harrison delivers a presentation on stem cell research at the Indo-US Symposium.

  • 11 Dec 2005: The Miracle Babies

     Parents Brian and Anna Endter with their twins, William and James. Chronicle photo by Frederic Larson SF Chronicle - Advances in fetal surgery at UCSF's Fetal Treatment Center save twins in a dire situation. In many ways, having a baby is a lesson in expecting the unexpected. Anna Endter's lesson started when her doctor looked at the ultrasound screen and pointed to two heartbeats.

    Read the article

  • 05 May 2005: First fetal surgery survivor finally meets his doctor

    SF Chronicle - Michael Skinner made medical history in 1981. He was the first baby in the world to survive successful fetal surgery—an operation to repair a life-threatening condition while still in the womb. He was born on May 10, 1981, at UCSF Medical Center. It was Mother's Day.

    Read the article

 

 

Last Updated: 11/14/2011
Angela and Guy

Angela and Guy

The innovative procedures at FTC saved the lives of both Angela and Guy, whom were both diagnosed with severe CCAMs.

Watch Video

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