News

Duke Surgeon Receives Department of Defense Grant to Study Mesothelioma in Military Service Members

David Harpole Jr., MD, Professor, Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, has received a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense for research on a link between military service and the development of mesothelioma cancer. Out of the estimated 3,000 mesothelioma diagnoses in the United States each year, nearly a third of these patients have military experience. This study will help to determine why.

Out of Body Experience: Rejuvenating Organs Using Ex Vivo Perfusion

Photo: Cardiothoracic surgeons Dr. Jacob Klapper and Dr. Nnamdi Nwaejike perform a double lung transplant. Shawn Rocco/Duke Health

Each day, tens of thousands of patients on waiting lists across the United States await a simple phone call: one that says a match has been found and an organ is available for transplant. Despite a growing demand for donors, organ shortages continue to hinder many patients’ chances in receiving their potentially life-saving call. 

Duke Researchers Find Improved Outcomes with Two Novel Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Researchers on the Duke Heart Failure team recently found that a new left ventricular assist device (LVAD) design was associated with improved 6-month outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, two clinical trials indicated a lower incidence of pump thrombosis and pump replacement in patients who received new centrifugal-flow LVADs compared with patients who received an axial-flow LVAD, which is currently FDA approved.

Dr. Moritz C. Wyler von Ballmoos Elected Fellow of the American College of Cardiology

Moritz C. Wyler von Ballmoos, MD, PhD, has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC), in recognition of his professional achievement and commitment to quality in cardiovascular care. Dr. Wyler von Ballmoos's Fellow designation was officially recognized during the Convocation Ceremony on Sunday, March 19, 2017, which was held in conjunction with the ACC's 66th Annual Scientific Session in Washington.

Duke Health Surgical Teams Perform Five Heart, Lung Transplants in 24 Hours

Photo: Mani Daneshmand, MD, performs a double lung transplant in November 2015

Duke Health’s heart and lung transplant programs have a long history of performing complicated transplants with outstanding success. That reputation was put to a challenging test on December 1, when Duke surgeons and their teams at Duke University Hospital successfully performed three heart transplants and two double lung transplants within a 24-hour period.