Although its importance is often unappreciated, the liver has far-reaching effects on almost every organ system in the body. And its singular ability to regenerate makes living-donor transplantation a life-altering option for those in whom this vital organ is failing. With 10,000 people waiting on the transplant list at any point during a given year, there are more people waiting than the number of donor livers available.

A tumor board is made up of a group of physician specialists from a number of medical subspecialties: surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, geneticists and other specialists. This team meets regularly to discuss the cases of people with cancer. Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, has multiple tumor boards, each one organized around a specific cancer site.

Plastic surgery and neuroscience advance through trauma. Severe burns, car accidents, war – these and other tragedies push plastic and reconstructive surgeons beyond the limits of collective wisdom to change patients’ lives. WashU Medicine plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Susan Mackinnon, MD, has dedicated her life to developing, refining and expanding a surgical technique called nerve transfer.

When a woman receives the support and care she needs during her pregnancy, labor and delivery— and through postpartum—everyone benefits: the mother, the baby, the family, the community in which they all live. When health care, economic resources, healthy food and community support are difficult to access—and racism and bias are present—the pregnant woman’s health and life are in danger, as well as the lives of her infant, family and community.

Chronic pain can be caused by a number of conditions, including nerve damage, muscle pain, injuries that don’t heal properly, arthritis, cancer and sickle cell disease. Identifying the source of someone’s pain can be a trial-and-error process. Even if two people have the same source of pain, they may experience different pain symptoms. In some instances, chronic pain can be relieved through an intravenous (IV) infusion of lidocaine.