Two life-threatening illnesses and multiple surgeries could not stop this RN from obtaining her PhD against the odds.

The da Vinci, a surgical robot costing up to $2.6 million, gives surgeons powerful new abilities in the operating room. But while some doctors tout shorter recovery times for patients and decreased risk of complications, others warn of high costs and the lack of a national training standard.

Justin M. Brown, MD, reconstructive neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health System, is one of only a few specialists in the world who have pioneered a novel technique to restore hand function in patients with spinal cord injury. In a delicate four-hour procedure, Brown splices together tiny nerve endings, only one millimeter in width, to help restore hand mobility. Most patients return home 24 hours after surgery.

Patients with atrial fibrillation who can't take blood thinners for the heartbeat irregularity have a new minimally invasive option to reduce their risk of a stroke.

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