San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS) doesn’t just occupy a cluster of buildings near the Presidio; it operates as the embodiment of service meeting innovative care.
Its mission, to care for those who bore the battle, is executed with a forward-thinking ethos that ensures Veterans receive not just standard care, but the care of tomorrow. Here, staying on the cutting edge isn’t an aspiration, it’s a daily practice. In acquiring the latest piece of surgical technology, our Oncology Surgery team provides the latest example of that ethos bearing fruit for the Veterans of this health care system.
In December, SFVAHCS became the first VA to acquire the Edison Histotripsy System. A non-invasive and non-surgical technology, histotripsy uses high intensity ultrasound pulses to disrupt and destroy tumor cells. Using this machine, doctors can treat tumors non-surgically and in comparatively little time when compared to traditional tumor removal.
“This is like Star Trek science fiction,” said Beth Devine, MSN, RN at SFVAHCS. “We’re talking about targeting liver tumors with pinpoint acoustic energy, leaving surrounding tissue virtually untouched. For our Veterans, it means less pain, less risk, and faster recovery. It’s the kind of leap forward this hospital has always strived to make.”
“There’s not 100 of these machines built yet, and we have one of them.”
For Veteran, Don Kittle, it couldn’t have come at a better time, as he would be the first to receive the new, revolutionary treatment.
“I’m getting up in age and had already gone under the knife earlier in the year so, another surgery so soon wasn’t an option,” Kittle said, sitting in the living room of his Northern California home. “When they told me about this sound wave treatment, that it was non-invasive and had minimal side effects… I thought it sounded like science fiction. But then they reminded me this is the VA. They’ve been doing ‘science fiction’ here for decades. It makes you feel like you’re still being looked out for.”
Dr. Carlos Corvera, Staff Surgeon at SFVAHCS, reflected on the journey to acquire the Edison while standing in the pre-op and checking on his patient.
“Veterans’ health needs are unique, shaped by service, exposure, and age,” explained Dr. Corvera. “A minimally invasive, repeatable procedure like histotripsy is ideal for patients who may not be candidates for major surgery. It’s about tailoring the most advanced care to the specific person. That kind of focused care is something we can do at VA which is not necessarily typical in other health care systems.”
The path to acquiring the $1.2 million device was a deliberate one, spearheaded by Dr. Corvera and Nurse Devine who saw its potential for their patient population, which often presents with complex, multi-issue cases.
From the first use of penicillin here in the 1940s to this histotripsy machine today, the mission is constant. We don’t simply adopt innovation; we adapt it for Veterans. The Golden Gate Bridge connects two pieces of land. This technology connects our past of groundbreaking service to a future where we continue to heal those who served, with the very best tools humanity can devise.
For Veterans at SFVAHCS, the future of healing, once again, sounds revolutionary.
Check out our companion video on our YouTube.
If you believe you might be a candidate for a histotripsy procedure, please reach out to your primary care team. You can reach us at or through our website at https://www.va.gov/san-francisco-health-care/.