Show Notes
The first mixed-reality-navigated shoulder replacement surgery in the U.S. took place in early 2024. Specialized technologies were used to create a customized life-size hologram of the patient’s joint and plan the position of the replacement implants. Listen to how mixed reality improves surgical precision and may reduce complications and improve patient recovery. Featured experts include the surgeon who performed this very first surgery: Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo, Division Chair Shoulder & Elbow Surgery at Mayo Clinic; and Jean Chaoui, VP of Clinical Applications and Solutions, Digital, Robotics and Enabling Technologies at Stryker.
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What if the milk you are drinking could help fight cancer? In this episode of Tomorrow's Cure, we explore cholangiocarcinoma and a surprising new approach to targeting it using milk‑derived nanoparticles and precision aptamer‑based delivery. Host Lindsey Seavert is joined by surgical oncologist Dr. Rory Smoot and long‑term survivor and advocate Melinda Bachini to unpack why this cancer is so challenging, what symptoms and treatment paths patients typically face, and how emerging gene‑delivery platforms and AI‑driven discovery are opening new possibilities when standard therapies fall short. Through Melinda’s 16‑year survivorship story and Dr. Smoot’s lab work that literally starts with skim milk from the Mayo Clinic cafeteria, listeners hear how “chemical antibodies” called aptamers can act as molecular keys to deliver therapy directly to cholangiocarcinoma cells, and how computational tools are accelerating the search for new targets. Together, they discuss the emotional and practical realities of living at the edge of what medicine can do today, the expanding landscape of clinical trials, and why innovation in this rare cancer may ripple out to colon, lung and other hard‑to‑treat tumors.