Innovative Care

Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s (BWH) dedicated pursuit of innovative ways to treat our patients is a critical part of our mission to improve health care. Whether we’re developing a new surgical technique or incorporating the latest medical technology, our motivation is to treat our patients with not simply excellent care, but everything possible.

Face Transplant

Face transplant surgery, the transfer of face tissue from a deceased human donor to a patient with a severe facial deformity, is an innovative reconstructive procedure that has the potential to significantly improve the lives of patients with severe facial injuries. Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) is a world leader in promoting and performing this life-giving procedure, having performed three full face transplants and one partial face transplant since 2009. Learn more about face transplant surgery.

Cartilage Repair

The Brigham and Women’s Hospital Cartilage Repair Center (CRC) was founded as the first U.S. center solely dedicated to the treatment of cartilage damage and continues to be among the busiest cartilage transplant centers in the nation. The CRC provides a number of innovative cartilage repair procedures, including autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), wherein a patient’s own healthy cartilage is used to regenerate unhealthy cartilage in the knee, ankle or shoulder. Learn more about cartilage repair.

Robotic Surgery

Brigham and Women’s Hospital is a world leader in using state-of-the-art robotics to improve surgical outcomes. BWH surgeons use the FDA-approved da Vinci® Surgical System to perform a variety of minimally invasive gynecologic and urologic procedures. In addition to being among the nation’s highest-volume providers of robotic prostatectomies, BWH was also the setting for the first robotic radical hysterectomy in New England and the first successful robot-assisted laparoscopic tubal sterilization reversal in New England. Learn more about Robotic Surgery; Watch robotic surgery videos and patient testimonials.

Hybrid OR

The Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital boasts one of the most advanced hybrid operating rooms (ORs) in the country, which allows our staff to perform high-end diagnostic imaging and multiple surgical or non-surgical interventions for an individual patient without ever leaving the operating room. Treatment that used to take place over the course of several days or more, and in multiple operating rooms and diagnostic labs, can now all be done over the course of one visit in one room. Learn more about Hybrid OR.

Percutaneous Aortic Valve Replacement

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR) is a promising new treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aorta) who are not ideal candidates for traditional open heart surgery. Brigham and Women’s Hospital is one of 24 hospitals nationwide that are examining the potential of this minimally invasive procedure as part of the PARTNER (Placement of AoRTic TranscathetERValve) clinical trial. BWH successfully performed its first PAVR procedure in April of 2009. Learn more about PAVR.

DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction Surgery

DIEP (deep inferior epigastric perforators) flap surgery is an innovative breast reconstruction procedure that uses a flap of complete tissue from a woman’s lower abdomen as donor tissue. This delicate procedure provides significant benefits for breast cancer patients, such as a slimmer appearance, a natural-looking breast, maintained core strength and a quick recovery. Brigham and Women’s Hospital is one of the select few hospitals nationwide that offers DIEP flap surgery. Learn more about DIEP Flap Surgery.