When Kelly was pregnant with identical twins, she learned she had a rare condition called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). TTTS wasn’t unfamiliar to Kelly, who is an identical twin herself—her mother had been diagnosed with the same condition while pregnant with Kelly. WashU Medicine physicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital were able to perform a minimally invasive laser surgery to help Kelly’s babies.

Collaboration between orthopedic and neurosurgery specialists, new technology and new techniques have significantly improved treatment for complex spinal problems. And a special program designed by WashU Medicine specialists helps people scheduled for surgery to correct spinal problems learn how they can play an important role in their recovery.

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.

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.