Surgery without knives or needles

A team of researchers at the University of Michigan has developed a new, revolutionary technique that has the potential to reshape the practice of surgery. Histotripsy — literally, the "crushing of tissue” — is a noninvasive therapy that uses high-intensity ultrasound pulses to liquify tissue inside the body without ever breaking the skin. With applications from congenital heart defects to brain tumors, Histotripsy will significantly impact quality of life for patients, who will be able to receive it at their physician's office — potentially at the exact time of diagnosis — without sedation or a lengthy recovery.