For people dealing with central sleep apnea—often affecting a patient’s cardiovascular health—a new device is available at University of Iowa Health Care’s Heart and Vascular Center. Implanted during a minimally invasive procedure, the Remedē® System is a battery-powered device that helps stimulate the phrenic nerve—the nerve in your chest responsible for breathing—so that it can send signals to…

For hospital security officer Joe Swisher, security means more than just protecting a building. As one of the first staff members that patients and visitors see when they come through the door, Swisher knows the importance of providing a welcoming and safe environment. Swisher is the son of a retired deputy for Jones County, Iowa. He grew up around law enforcement officers and even helped train a…

“We were told to call our families to come say goodbye.” For 45 minutes, Quinn Anderson’s care team at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital tried to re-start his heart. Doctors placed the 3-year-old boy on an advanced form of life support called ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which does the work of the heart and lungs when they aren’t strong enough.

Nathan McDonald and his family are used to overcoming difficult odds and medical challenges. Nathan was transferred to University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital shortly after birth when skeletal deformities and a hunch in his back were detected. He was diagnosed with infantile myofibromatosis, a rare tumor that grows in the skin, muscles, bones, and sometimes the organs of the chest or…

Only two years into her career, Karlee Carey, BSN, RN, has developed the type of compassionate touch that makes a pronounced difference to patients being cared for in the Burn Treatment Center. Her attitude proved to be a blessing for one particular patient who was under Carey’s care after suffering severe burns. “I was hospitalized in the middle of the night,” the patient recalls. “As someone…

Protecting children from illness is a priority for any parent. But some children have extra challenges when it comes to preventative care. This past year, members of the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital launched a clinic to overcome sensory disorder issues to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to nearly 30 children—something they plan…

Twist. Pop. Pain. It’s a combination that any athlete—young or old, professional or weekend warrior—knows and dreads as a likely indication of a torn ACL. Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which stabilizes the knee joint, is an extremely common injury, affecting between 100,000 to 200,000 people in the U.S. every year. It is also a significant injury, often requiring surgery and…