at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine
CANCER
Genomic Profiling
Physicians can now take advantage of a new genetic test. One of the earliest of its kind to be offered in the United States, the analysis can help determine the best treatment for cancer patients. Genomics and Pathology Services at Washington University (GPS@WUSTL) offers physicians a test that examines 40 genes for mutations that reveal abnormalities in a tumor’s cellular machinery. This information can be used by blood cancers. GPS testing also supports the discovery of new genetic markers through clinical research in oncology and other areas.
Visit gps.wustl.edu or call 314-747-7337
PATIENT CARE
Innovative ICU
The design of the new 36-bed 4400 intensive care unit (ICU) was influenced by staff input and techniques gleaned from the automobile industry. The result: hallways 2 feet wider than standard and rooms that are longer. Beds rotate to face windows, reducing the risk of ICU delirium that causes patients to lose track of day/night cycles. Ceiling-mounted booms hold equipment and reduce room clutter. And a “sterile square” positioned inside the room’s doorway reminds staff and visitors just how far they can enter the room without wearing gloves and a gown. This innovation, one of the first of its kind in the United States, reduces costs and protects patients.
CARDIOLOGY
Mini VAD
On Sept. 12, 2012, Washington University physicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital were the first in the United States to implant a new mini ventricular-assist device (VAD), the Impella CP, into a patient with heart failure. This small VAD was inserted via a catheter rather than an open procedure. About the size of a coffee stirrer, the new device is the world’s smallest heart VAD, yet it can pump up to 4 liters of blood per minute, helping blood flow in patients with severe heart failure or cardiogenic shock.
To learn more about VADs and their use in treating heart disease, visit BarnesJewish.org/vad.