scholarly journals Impact of distance on postoperative follow-up in patients of pediatric surgery: a retrospective review

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. e000195
Author(s):  
Meagan E Wiebe ◽  
Anna C Shawyer
Keyword(s):  
Postoperative Complications ◽  
Pediatric Surgery ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Attendance Rates ◽  
Urban Center ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Median Distance ◽  
Equivalent Rate ◽  
Children’S Hospital

ObjectiveCentralization of medical services in Canada has resulted in patients travelling long distances for healthcare, which may compromise their health. We hypothesized that children living farther from a children’s hospital were offered and attended fewer follow-up appointments.MethodsWe reviewed children less than 17 years of age referred to the general surgery clinic at a tertiary children’s hospital during a 2-year period who underwent surgery. Descriptive statistics were performed.ResultsWe identified 723 patients. The majority were male (61%) with a median age of 7 years (range 18 days to16 years) and were from the major urban center (MUC) (56.3%). The median distance travelled to hospital for MUC patients was 8.9 km (range 0.9–22 km) vs 119.5 km (range 20.3–1950 km) for non-MUC patients. MUC children were offered more follow-up appointments (72.7% vs 60.8%, p<0.05). No significant differences existed in follow-up attendance rates (MUC 88.5% vs non-MUC 89.1%, p=0.84) or postoperative complications (9.8% vs 9.2%, p=0.78). There were no deaths.ConclusionsPatients living farther from a hospital were offered fewer follow-up appointments, but attended an equivalent rate of follow-ups when offered one. Telemedicine and remote follow-up are underused approaches that can permit follow-up appointments while reducing associated travel time and expenses.

scholarly journals Pediatric Surgical Reentry Strategy Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Tiered and Balanced Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482110111
Author(s):  
Ryan C. Pickens ◽  
Angela M. Kao ◽  
Mark A. Williams ◽  
Andrew C. Herman ◽  
Jeffrey S. Kneisl
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Surgery ◽  
Elective Surgery ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Protocol Development ◽  
Balanced Approach ◽  
Projective Curves ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Emergent Surgery

Background In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s hospitals across the country postponed elective surgery beginning in March 2020. As projective curves flattened, administrators and surgeons sought to develop strategies to safely resume non-emergent surgery. This article reviews challenges and solutions specific to a children’s hospital related to the resumption of elective pediatric surgeries. We present our tiered reentry approach for pediatric surgery as well as report early data for surgical volume and tracking COVID-19 cases during reentry. Methods The experience of shutdown, protocol development, and early reentry of elective pediatric surgery are reported from Levine’s Children’s Hospital (LCH), a free-leaning children’s hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Data reported were obtained from de-identified hospital databases. Results Pediatric surgery experienced a dramatic decrease in case volumes at LCH during the shutdown, variable by specialty. A tiered and balanced reentry strategy was implemented with steady resumption of elective surgery following strict pre-procedural screening and testing. Early outcomes showed a steady thorough fluctuating increase in elective case volumes without evidence of a surgery-associated positive spread through periprocedural tracking. Conclusion Reentry of non-emergent pediatric surgical care requires unique considerations including the impact of COVID-19 on children, each children hospital structure and resources, and preventing undue delay in intervention for age- and disease-specific pediatric conditions. A carefully balanced strategy has been critical for safe reentry following the anticipated surge. Ongoing tracking of resource utilization, operative volumes, and testing results will remain vital as community spread continues to fluctuate across the country.

scholarly journals Measles Exposure Investigation in a Children’s Hospital Emergency Department— Denver Metropolitan Area, Colorado, 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s18-s19
Author(s):  
Ashley Richter
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Mmr Vaccine ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Control Intervention ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Lost To Follow Up

Background: On December 14, 3 unvaccinated siblings with recent international travel presented to Children’s Hospital Colorado emergency department (CHCO-ED) with fever, rash, conjunctivitis, coryza, and cough. Measles was immediately suspected; respiratory masks were placed on the patients before they entered an airborne isolation room, and public health officials (PH) were promptly notified. Notably, on December 12, 1 ill sibling presented to CHCO-ED with fever only. We conducted an investigation to confirm measles, to determine susceptibility of potentially exposed ED contacts and healthcare workers (HCWs), and to implement infection prevention measures to prevent secondary cases. Methods: Measles was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction testing. Through medical record review and CHCO-ED unit-leader interviews, we identified patients and HCWs in overlapping ED areas with the first sibling, until 2 hours after discharge. Measles susceptibility was assessed through interviews with adults accompanying pediatric patients and HCW immunity record reviews. Potentially exposed persons were classified as immune (≥1 documented measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination or serologic evidence of immunity), unconfirmed immune (self-reported MMR or childhood vaccination without documentation), or susceptible (no MMR vaccine history or age <12 months). Susceptibility status directed disease control intervention, and contact follow-up was 21 days. Results: On December 14, all 3 siblings (ages 8–11 years) had laboratory-confirmed measles and were hospitalized. CHCO’s rapid isolation of the 3 cases within 5 minutes after presentation to the ED eliminated the need for exposure assessment on the day of hospitalization. However on December 12, the 1 ill sibling potentially exposed 258 ED contacts (90 patients, 168 accompanying adults) and 22 HCWs. The PH department identified 158 immune contacts (61%), 75 unconfirmed immune contacts (29%), and 19 susceptible contacts (8%); 6 contacts (2%) were lost to follow-up. Overall, 15 susceptible contacts received immune globulin (IG) postexposure prophylaxis and 4 contacts were placed on 21-day quarantine. Unconfirmed immune contacts self-monitored for measles symptoms and were contacted weekly by PH for 21 days. Moreover, 20 immune HCWs monitored symptoms daily; 2 susceptible HCWs were placed on 21-day quarantine. No secondary cases were identified. Conclusions: Rapid measles identification and isolation, high levels (90%) of immunity among contacts, prompt administration of IG, and effective collaboration between PH and CHCO prevented transmission.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Management of Subglottic Stenosis in Children

1985 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 585-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis I. Catlin ◽  
Elizabeth M. Spankus
Keyword(s):  
Subglottic Stenosis ◽  
Prolonged Intubation ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Lost To Follow Up

We treated 21 children for subglottic stenosis at the Texas Children's Hospital from 1975 to 1983. Ages ranged from newborn to 14 years. Fifteen (71%) were younger than 13 months of age. Prolonged intubation was thought to be a primary contributing factor in 16 of 21 (76%). Nineteen (90%) required tracheotomy. Of these, 11 (58%) were decannulated, four (21%) have not been decannulated, and four (21%) were lost to follow-up. Two of the 11 children who were successfully decannulated required laryngotracheoplasty or thyrotomy. There were three instances of complications and no deaths.

Resection of congenital hemivertebra in pediatric scoliosis: the experience of a two-specialty surgical team

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Elise C. Bixby ◽  
Kira Skaggs ◽  
Gerard F. Marciano ◽  
Matthew E. Simhon ◽  
Richard P. Menger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Wound Complications ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Hemivertebra Resection ◽  
Estimated Blood Loss ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
Distal Junctional Kyphosis ◽  
Junctional Kyphosis

OBJECTIVE Institutions investigating value and quality emphasize utilization of two attending surgeons with different areas of technical expertise to treat complex surgical cases and to minimize complications. Here, the authors chronicle the 12-year experience of using a two–attending surgeon, two-specialty model to perform hemivertebra resection in the pediatric population. METHODS Retrospective cohort data from 2008 to 2019 were obtained from the NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital operative database. This database included all consecutive pediatric patients < 21 years old who underwent hemivertebra resection performed with the two–attending surgeon (neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon) model. Demographic information was extracted. Intraoperative complications, including durotomy and direct neurological injury, were queried from the clinical records. Intraoperative neuromonitoring data were evaluated. Postoperative complications were queried, and length of follow-up was determined from the clinical records. RESULTS From 2008 to 2019, 22 patients with a median (range) age of 9.1 (2.0–19.3) years underwent hemivertebra resection with the two–attending surgeon, two-specialty model. The median (range) number of levels fused was 2 (0–16). The mean (range) operative time was 5 hours and 14 minutes (2 hours and 59 minutes to 8 hours and 30 minutes), and the median (range) estimated blood loss was 325 (80–2700) ml. Navigation was used in 14% (n = 3) of patients. Neither Gardner-Wells tongs nor halo traction was used in any operation. Neuromonitoring signals significantly decreased or were lost in 14% (n = 3) of patients. At a mean ± SD (range) follow-up of 4.6 ± 3.4 (1.0–11.6) years, 31% (n = 7) of patients had a postoperative complication, including 2 instances of proximal junctional kyphosis, 2 instances of distal junctional kyphosis, 2 wound complications, 1 instance of pseudoarthrosis with hardware failure, and 1 instance of screw pullout. The return to the operating room (OR) rate was 27% (n = 6), which included patients with the abovementioned wound complications, distal junctional kyphosis, pseudoarthrosis, and screw pullout, as well as a patient who required spinal fusion after loss of motor evoked potentials during index surgery. CONCLUSIONS Twenty-two patients underwent hemivertebra resection with a two–attending surgeon, two-specialty model over a 12-year period at a specialized children’s hospital, with a 14% rate of change in neuromonitoring, 32% rate of nonneurological complications, and a 27% rate of unplanned return to the OR.

scholarly journals The Value of CT Scans for Children with Headaches

1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Dooley ◽  
P.R. Camfield ◽  
M. O'Neill ◽  
A. Vohra
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
Neurological Disease ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Pediatric Neurology ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Limited Role ◽  
Children’S Hospital

ABSTRACT:We studied the value of CT scans for all children referred because of headache to one secondary and one tertiary pediatric centre during a 1 year period. Of 117 children who were seen by the Pediatric Neurology Service, at the I.W.K. Children's Hospital, 4 had CT scans and only 1 of these was abnormal. The consultant Pediatrician saw 40 children because of headache. CT scans were done on 3 of these patients and all were normal. None of the children who had a clinical assessment alone had unrecognized neurological disease during 20 months of follow-up. Therefore only 1 of 157 children had significant intracranial pathology. We conclude that CT scans have a limited role in the management of children with headache.

Surgical treatment for primary spinal aneurysmal bone cysts: experience from Children's Hospital Boston

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Zenonos ◽  
Osama Jamil ◽  
Lance S. Governale ◽  
Sarah Jernigan ◽  
Daniel Hedequist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Instrumentation ◽  
Neurological Deficits ◽  
Preoperative Embolization ◽  
Bone Cysts ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Initial Intervention ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Aneurysmal Bone Cysts

Object Spinal aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) constitute a rare and clinically challenging disease, primarily affecting the pediatric population. Information regarding the management of spinal ABCs remains sparse. In this study the authors review their experience with spinal ABCs at Children's Hospital Boston. Methods The medical records of all patients treated surgically for primary spinal ABCs between January 1998 and July 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Results Fourteen cases were identified (6 males and 8 females, ages 5–19 years old). The ABCs were located throughout the spine, with an equal number in the thoracic and lumbar spine, and rarely in the cervical spine. The majority of patients presented with back pain, but neurological deficits and spinal deformity were common. A variety of radiographic techniques were used to establish the diagnosis, including needle biopsy. Preoperative selective arterial embolization was performed in 7 cases (50%), and the majority of cases required spinal instrumentation along with resection. Mean follow-up was 55.9 months (range 15–154 months) after initial intervention. Two ABCs recurred (14%), at 9 months and 8 years after incomplete initial resection, and the patients underwent reoperation. Complete resection was ultimately achieved in all cases. All patients were asymptomatic and neurologically intact at their last follow-up evaluation, and showed no evidence of deformity or recurrence on imaging. Conclusions Computed tomography and MR imaging are adequate for an initial evaluation of spinal ABCs, although solid variants can present a diagnostic challenge. Given the high rates of recurrence with residual disease, complete obliteration of the lesion should be the goal of treatment. Preoperative embolization is often performed, although in the authors' opinion the degree of bleeding tends not to support its routine use. Long-term follow-up is warranted as recurrences can occur years after initial intervention. However, gross-total excision in conjunction with spinal stabilization, as needed, usually provides cure of the ABC and excellent long-term spinal alignment.

scholarly journals Case report of mesenteric lymphadenopathy in Gaucher disease: rare and benign complication

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-169
Author(s):  
M. Khalili ◽  
M. Gholamzadeh Baeis ◽  
M. Alaei
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Ct Scan ◽  
Gaucher Disease ◽  
Epigastric Pain ◽  
Initial Examination ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
One Year

A 10-year-old boy known case of Gaucher disease about 2 years ago was admitted with nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain from 3 days before hospitalization to Mofid Children’s hospital, Tehran, Iran. On the initial examination, no abnormalities were found except for splenomegaly and brief tenderness on the spleen. In secondary paraclinical evaluations (with Ultrasound and Ct-scan), we noticed mesenteric lymphadenopathy in the patient. The lesions remained unchanged and no significant changes were observed in the clinical and laboratory evaluations of the patient during one-year follow-up period. This is a rare and benign manifestation of Gaucher disease, which is usually monitored and does not require any intervention without signs of malignancy or severe space occupying effects 

scholarly journals Changes in the prevalence of index diseases in pediatric surgery: case analysis of single national children’s hospital

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-238
Author(s):  
Soo-Hong Kim ◽  
Yong-Hoon Cho ◽  
Hae Young Kim
Keyword(s):  
Acute Appendicitis ◽  
Pediatric Surgery ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis ◽  
Relative Number ◽  
Emergency Operation ◽  
Absolute Number ◽  
Live Births ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Children’S Hospital

Pusan National University Children’s Hospital (PNUCH) opened in November 2008 as the second National Children’s Hospital in Korea and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018. In the last decade, birth rates and pediatric populations have been declining sharply and has been more serious in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam-do where the PNUCH is located, affecting the prevalence of index diseases. The number of the index diseases was investigated by year according to changes in the population. Patients who underwent surgery at PNUCH for 10 years were included. Changes in pediatric population and the number of live births were analyzed using the data from Statistics Korea. The number of the index diseases was analyzed retrospectively through the review of electronic medical records. Statistical analysis was performed through Poisson regression. The number of live births and pediatric population decreased from 69,528 to 48,600 (30.1%) and 1,880,284 to 1,444,961 (23.2%), respectively. Operations of pediatric surgery decreased by 32.3% compared to that during the peak season, but the prevalence rate ratio of the pediatric population increased to 1.03 (<i>P</i><0.001). The number of emergency operation increased due to the largest surge in acute appendicitis operations. Both esophageal atresia and Hirschsprung disease decreased, while hypertrophic pyloric stenosis significantly increased. The absolute number of pediatric surgery cases decreased. However, considering the changes in pediatric population and the number of live births, the relative number of pediatric surgery cases does not changed. The decrease in the number of each disease would be related to the decrease in pediatric population and the number of live births. We should consider the increase of emergency operations such as acute appendicitis.

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