We Stand For Care

Over the years, Susan Karnstedt had gotten used to the intermittent pain in her abdomen, chalking it up to her diet, or perhaps to her physically active lifestyle, as a water skier and yoga enthusiast. Little did she know that her pain could be traced to a filter that had been inserted more than 18 years ago in her inferior vena cava (IVC), the big vein that goes from the lower half of the body to the heart. Part of it was now poking through her intestines.

Removing this permanent-type umbrella-shaped device would not even be considered at most hospitals today, but Karnstedt was fortunate to be referred to interventional radiologist William Kuo, MD, at Stanford Hospital & Clinics. His team was able to FIND ANSWERS and is believed to be the first in the world to successfully retrieve permanently embedded IVC filters, and Stanford is currently the only hospital in the country where these procedures are routinely performed.

Kuo, who has seen patients referred to him from around the country for treatment of problematic IVC filters cases has been inspired by his patients to pioneer BETTER MEDICINE in alternative methods that can be used to safely remove these devices. “Every filter patient is unique, and thus the treatment must be meticulously planned and personalized to fit the patient,” Kuo said.

On April 13, Kuo performed the procedure, with no need for open surgery and no stitches — just a Band-aid on her neck site. Side effects? “None,” Karnstedt said. “I was done at 2 p.m., and home by 6 p.m., having dinner with my family.”

To fully appreciate Karnstedt’s remarkable recovery, click here.

Scientists and physicians in pediatric radiology at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford University have garnered an exceptionally large number of awards and honors recently from a professional association of pediatric radiologists.

For the second year in a row, researchers at the hospital and university nabbed the prestigious John Caffey Award for Best Basic Science Research Paper (SRP) at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Radiology in April. The award recognized four papers by the research group led by Roland Bammer, PhD, an assistant professor (research) of radiology showcasing the research and ADVANCEMENTS being made at LPCH and Stanford University.

“The receipt of the two major SPR awards by one institution in a single year is a great honor and may be unprecedented,” said Richard Barth, MD, a professor of radiology and radiologist-in-chief at Packard Children’s.” The pursuit to FIND ANSWERS reflects the imaging advances made possible by converting our department from a generalist model to a sub-specialist model.”

About five years ago, Barth began working to advance the pediatric radiology program at the hospital and Stanford by recruiting sub-specialists—that is, radiologists with a particular expertise in, say, pediatric-cardio imaging or pediatric-neuro imaging—as well as non-clinical researchers steeped in basic science and imaging technology. Promoting COLLABORATIVE-research projects between the two groups, he said, has been key to the program’s success in fielding awards.

“It’s a real team effort between the radiologist sub-specialists and the imaging scientists,” Barth said.

For more information on the award recipients and research papers, click here.

The sound of hammers, power tools, rakes and shovels could be heard at the home of long time East Palo Alto resident, Roselyn Womack on Saturday, April 24, as a group of directors from SHC worked to paint her house, fix her roof and re-landscape her yard.

The Director’s Group at SHC selected National Rebuilding Day as a way to get to know one another better outside of work and to have an opportunity to MAKE A DIFFERNCE in the community at the same time. National Rebuilding Day is an annual event sponsored by Rebuilding Together®, a national nonprofit organization that preserves affordable homeownership and revitalizes communities by renovating houses.

SHC directors worked in COLLABORATION with Stanford University Housing Services and Stanford Catholic Community. “It was a rewarding experience to help someone else and to do so with my fellow directors at SHC. Working side by side and getting filthy dirty is a great way to get to know each other,” said Laurie Quintel, Director of HR | Employee Labor & Relations.

Click here to view a video showcasing the seeds planted by the volunteers and the difference they made in Roselyn Womack’s life.