Here’s how genetic vision testing can help your family
At least 600 of the roughly 20,000 genes in the human body are needed for normal eyesight. Changes in those genes can lead to many eye conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts, and inherited retinal disorders. If your child has an inherited retinal disorder, they might benefit from genetic testing. It can help determine a diagnosis and how their ... Read More about Here’s how genetic vision testing can help your family
Patient Stories
‘It’s worth it’: Dianna finds support in managing her chronic pain
For Dianna Aguiar, 18, playing tennis, practicing yoga, and going for walks with her dog aren’t just fun ways to stay active. They’re powerful proof of how far she’s come in her journey with chronic pain. Although Dianna has had juvenile arthritis since she was a child, she began experiencing new back and hip pain ... Read More about ‘It’s worth it’: Dianna finds support in managing her chronic pain
Patient Stories
From pain to purpose: An update on Dylan’s traumatic brain injury
We first introduced you to Dylan four years ago, when a traumatic brain injury led him to the Department of Neurosurgery for care and instilled in him a love of medicine. We caught up with the college senior this summer to see where life has taken him since he started an internship with the team ... Read More about From pain to purpose: An update on Dylan’s traumatic brain injury
Research
This two-handed robot goes deep into the brain
Robots have become common partners in the OR, enabling surgeons to operate through small incisions and manipulate tools endoscopically, avoiding invasive open surgery. But in neurosurgery, robots’ capabilities have been more limited. While they can assist with relatively simple procedures like inserting an electrode, more invasive and complex operations like removing a tumor still require ... Read More about This two-handed robot goes deep into the brain
Patient Stories
Calm through the storm: Connor’s ulcerative colitis journey
When you meet Connor today, he’s a confident 13-year-old who is incredibly laid back when he speaks about his complex medical condition. This school year, he plans on playing basketball and running track. “I like hanging out with my friends and traveling — now I can do all these things without being in pain.” However, ... Read More about Calm through the storm: Connor’s ulcerative colitis journey
Patient Stories
Defying the odds: Cruise’s triumph against cavernous malformations and debilitating headaches
As a toddler, Cruise — now 13 — faced a rare cancer diagnosis that came with an 11 percent chance of survival. But with his trademark resilience and strength of spirit, Cruise defied the daunting odds and beat his cancer. The battle left its mark though — in the form of cavernous malformations in his ... Read More about Defying the odds: Cruise’s triumph against cavernous malformations and debilitating headaches
Research
Does cannabis affect surgical outcomes? We need more data.
After alcohol, marijuana is the most commonly used recreational substance among U.S. adults and adolescents. Up to 22 million Americans 12 or older use cannabis. In a 2022 survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 0.7 percent of 8th graders, 2.1 percent of 10th graders, and 6.3 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana ... Read More about Does cannabis affect surgical outcomes? We need more data.
Research
A global take on rare disease research: Maya Chopra, MBBS, FRACP
Several years ago, while working as a clinical geneticist at the Imagine Institute of Genetic Diseases in Paris, Dr. Maya Chopra saw a child with unexplained intellectual disability, a cleft palate, distinctive facial features, and an inability to speak. Through a genetic analysis, she and her colleagues identified a rare variant in one copy of ... Read More about A global take on rare disease research: Maya Chopra, MBBS, FRACP
Patient Stories
Cerebral palsy hasn’t stopped Irvin from living large
Irvin, now 18, became fascinated with sports mascots when he was a little kid. What did they do, and could he do that too? Anytime he had an appointment at the Cerebral Palsy and Spasticity Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, he and his mother would stop by Fenway Park to visit Wally, mascot of the ... Read More about Cerebral palsy hasn’t stopped Irvin from living large
From aerospace to the OR: 3D modeling improves surgical planning by revealing details of patients’ hearts
One of the most important tools for complex heart surgeries at Boston Children’s isn’t even in the operating room. For years, heart surgeons couldn’t see the complete extent of a patient’s condition until a procedure started, forcing them to rely on experience, diagnostic imaging, and other information to plan surgery. Now, 3D modeling allows them ... Read More about From aerospace to the OR: 3D modeling improves surgical planning by revealing details of patients’ hearts