Mayo Clinic 2010 Annual Report
Patient Care

Notable patient care highlights


Surgical treatment for children and adults with pectus deformities

Mayo Clinic teamed up with Phoenix Children's Hospital and Pediatric Surgeons of Phoenix to provide comprehensive surgical treatment to children and adults with pectus deformities. The collaboration gives patients with pectus excavatum (PE), the most common deformity of the chest wall, the combined expertise of the surgeons at both medical centers.

First lung transplantation by donation after cardiac death

Mayo Clinic reported its first lung transplantation by donation after cardiac death (DCD). Transplantation made possible by DCD donors — individuals who are declared dead according to criteria recommended in the Uniform Declaration of Death Act in the early 1980s — expands the number of potential organs available to patients who need transplants.

100th living donor liver transplant

Mayo Clinic's transplant program in Arizona completed its 100th living donor liver transplant. Living donor liver transplantation enables a matching donor to donate a healthy segment of his or her liver to a recipient in need. Both livers regenerate to normal size within a matter of several weeks.

MRI-guided laser ablation for kidney and liver tumors

Physicians at Mayo Clinic in Florida were among the first in the nation to use a technique known as MRI-guided laser ablation to heat and destroy kidney and liver tumors. They join their colleagues in Rochester, who were the first to use laser ablation on patients with recurrent prostate tumors.

Choice of a transplant center can make a noteworthy difference in outcomes

Findings from a Mayo Clinic study showed that for patients in need of a liver transplant, their choice of a transplant center can make a noteworthy difference in their outcomes. Researchers found that between centers with the best and worst outcomes, there may be as much as a fourfold difference in risk. The study suggests patients should research their options before selecting a transplant center.

Aggressive treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma increases survival

Oncologists at Mayo Clinic found that aggressive treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma dramatically increased survival in the small group of patients who chose to undergo it. Mayo oncologists say this new approach suggests the need to aggressively treat metastasis even when the rare cancer seems to be confined to the neck.

Stereotactic radiosurgery is safe, effective option

A Mayo Clinic study found that stereotactic radiosurgery is a safe and effective option for selected children with arteriovenous malformations, an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain. During the procedure, focused radiation is directed to the arteriovenous malformation, causing the vessels to slowly block off over several years and protecting the majority of patients from the risk of intracranial bleeding.

Multiple renal cell carcinoma metastases

In a Mayo Clinic study that examined the benefits of surgical treatment of kidney cancer, physicians found that a significant proportion of patients with multiple renal cell carcinoma metastases experience better outcomes if all metastases are removed. The study also showed that survival varied with the location of metastases.

Mayo and HCC Life Insurance Company reach transplant agreement

Mayo Clinic and HCC Life Insurance Company (HCC Life) reached an agreement to offer transplant services to HCC Life medical stop loss insurance policyholders. This direct contract between HCC Life and Mayo Clinic is considered to be the first-of-its-kind agreement for both organizations.

Expanded neurophysiology laboratory

In September, Mayo Clinic in Florida unveiled its newly expanded, state-of-the-art neurophysiology laboratory. The lab includes more exam rooms and enhanced equipment, allowing physicians to care for more patients and to perform specialized diagnostic tests for neurologic disorders.

New radiation oncology treatment center

Mayo Clinic broke ground on a radiation oncology treatment center in Northfield, Minn., in September. The facility will serve more than 200 cancer patients each year.

New birth center

Mayo Clinic in Rochester opened its new birth center in October. The Mayo Clinic Family Birth Center provides a calm, comfortable space with private labor and delivery rooms and new amenities, including hydrotherapy for labor.

Mayo Clinic Health System expansion in Eau Claire, Wis.

The Luther building, a $118 million, 358,000 square-foot addition to Mayo Clinic Health System's Eau Claire location opened in October. The new facility features state-of-the-art equipment, numerous patient-care improvements and an eco-friendly design. Highlights include: