Variables associated with pediatric emergency department visits for uncontrolled pain in postoperative adenotonsillectomy patients.

OBJECTIVE: Returns to the emergency department (ED) for pain or dehydration after adenotonsillectomy (T&A) are frequent. Attempts to associate the specific pain regimens with these visits have been unrevealing, suggesting a need to assess for other potential factors associated with readmission. METHODS: A review of a 2:1 cohort matched by age, gender and payer status compared post-T&A patients who did not return ED for pain or dehydration within 21 days to those who returned. Factors investigated included patient demographics, comorbidities, medication regimen and the presence of postoperative telephone encounters. Patients returning to the ED were further assessed for rates of medication adherence. RESULTS: 7493 patients underwent T&A during the period. Of these, 144 (1.9%) returned for pain/dehydration. Comparison to 285 matched patients revealed an association between ED returns and Hispanic ethnicity (p < 0.001), Spanish language (p = 0.0002), and comorbid Down syndrome and ADHD (p = 0.011 in both). The incidence of parent telephone calls to the office was associated with ED returns (58.7 in the ED cohort, 28.4% in non-ED cohort, p < 0.0001). On multivariable analysis, Hispanic ethnicity and phone calls were associated with ED returns (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Only 64.0% of patients returning to the ED were adherent with postoperative pain regimens. CONCLUSIONS: While demographic factors may be associated with rate of ED returns for pain and dehydration, post-operative phone calls were most highly associated with returns. The majority of patients returning to the ED were non-adherent with recommended pain regimens, suggesting an opportunity to investigate medication adherence in all post-tonsillectomy patients.

Pediatric emergency department visits for uncontrolled pain in postoperative adenotonsillectomy patients.

OBJECTIVE: Identify demographic variables related to emergency department (ED) returns, and analgesic administration in the ED for postoperative pain after adenotonsillectomy (T&A). STUDY DESIGN: Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database analysis. METHODS: Forty-seven children's hospitals included in the PHIS database were queried for all ED visits within 30 days of surgery with a diagnosis of acute postoperative pain (n = 2459) from 2014 to 2015. The subset of postoperative T&A patients (n = 861) was further analyzed for variables associated with return, and for pain management strategies, specifically opioids, employed by the ED. RESULTS: Of the 2459 pediatric patients returning to the ED for acute postoperative pain, the largest subset included T&A patients (n = 861, 35%). Patients were seen an average of 4 days (SD 2.4) after their surgery. ED administration of opioids was not associated with gender, race, surgical diagnosis, or ethnicity. The rate of opioid administration by the ED increased with advancing age of the children analyzed (P = .01). The incidence was also higher for those with commercial versus Medicaid insurance carriers. A total of 204 (23.7%) patients received opioids while in the ED, 439 (51%) received both opioids and non-opioids, and only 51 (5.9%) received no pain medication. CONCLUSION: T&A patients make up the largest subset of patients returning to the ED for postoperative pain. A total of 74.7% of patients receive opioids, either alone or in combination with non-opioids, on return to the ED. ED opioid administration was associated with older age of the child and payer, but not with gender, race, surgical diagnosis, or ethnicity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Measuring the impact of surgical intervention on pediatric pectus excavatum using white light scanning.

BACKGROUND: Objective preoperative assessment of pectus excavatum (PE) deformity in patients is limited to preoperative measurement of severity using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Postoperative assessment is currently subjective as postoperative CT scans are not recommended in light of radiation exposure and high cost to families. White Light Scanning (WLS) is a novel 3D imaging modality that offers an alternative that is a quick, nonionizing, inexpensive, and safe strategy for measurement both pre- and postsurgery. Our prior investigation demonstrated the feasibility of using WLS to measure PE deformity and showed very strong correlation of a new WLS-derived PE severity index, the Hebal-Malas Index (HMI), with CT-derived HI. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate use of WLS to assess extent of correction of PE deformities after the Nuss procedure. METHODS: WLS scan data were gathered prospectively in pediatric patients with PE from 2015 to 2018. HMI was obtained from the preoperative and postoperative WLS scans. Analysis assessed the differences of preoperative and postoperative HMI. Preoperative CT-derived HI was collected from the medical record and estimated postoperative Haller Index was calculated from HMI and correlation of HMI and HI using historical data. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients received a preoperative CT scan and underwent surgery for PE. Of those, 63 (89%) received WLS preoperatively and 51 (72%) had complete preoperative and postoperative WLS data. The average postoperative decrease in the WLS-derived HMI was 0.35 (SD: 0.15) and 1.73 (SD: 1.03) in WLS-estimated HI. CONCLUSIONS: WLS is highly effective in objectively quantifying the extent of surgical correction in PE patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV TYPE OF STUDY: Diagnostic Study.

Procedural burden experienced by children with cancer during their terminal hospital admission.

BACKGROUND: Children with chronic conditions, including cancer, have been shown to have high-intensity end-of-life care. We assessed the frequency and timing of invasive procedures that children with cancer undergo during their terminal hospital admission (THA). METHODS: The Pediatric Health Information System database was queried from 2011 to 2015 for patients ages 1-18 years with a "malignancy" flag who died in the hospital. Patient demographics, admission details, procedures codes, and date of service were extracted. Invasive procedures were categorized into 'major operations' or 'minor procedures'. RESULTS: 2210 children with cancer were identified as having a THA. During the THA, 1423 (64.4%) patients underwent an invasive procedure and 856 (60.1%) of those children underwent three or more procedures. 466 (21.1%) patients underwent a total of 780 major operations. The most common operations were ventriculostomy/ventriculoperitoneal shunt (n = 211), intracranial mass excision (n = 60), bowel resection (n = 56), and exploratory laparotomy/laparoscopy (n = 46). 101 (21.7%) patients who underwent a major operation died within 48 h of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Children who have cancer and die in the hospital face a large procedural burden prior to their death. This study highlights the need for open, multidisciplinary discussions regarding the necessity of these procedures and for surgeon involvement in complex end-of-life care decisions. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective cohort review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

A novel technique to measure severity of pediatric pectus excavatum using white light scanning.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Computed tomography (CT) derived Haller Index (HI) remains the standard for quantifying severity in patient with pectus excavatum (PE). Optical scanning described in literature reports optimistic results and new indices that correlate with HI. This study assessed the feasibility of a handheld White Light Scanner (WLS) to obtain 3D measurements and indices of PE deformity. METHODS: From April 2015-April 2017, WLS scanning was conducted by orthotists during clinical visits. Included were children with PE up to 18 years. Analysis assessed correlation of a WLS-derived severity index, Hebal-Malas Index (HMI), with physician measured PE Depth (PED), and CT-derived HI. RESULTS: Of 195 participants, 185(94%) patients with PE were scanned and 127(69%) had complete WLS data. For 88 patients undergoing monitoring, HMI correlated with PED (r = 0.42, p = 0.004). For 39 patients with pre-operative CT, HMI demonstrated strong correlation with HI (r = 0.87, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: WLS demonstrated high feasibility of scanning PE. WLS-derived HMI best correlates with HI for patients with severe pectus deformity. Our current data is suggestive that WLS is best applied for severe deformities and yet to be established for milder deformities. Future yearly WLS will provide data on deformity progression and surgical therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV. TYPE OF STUDY: Diagnostic Study.

Prevention of hypergranulation tissue after gastrostomy tube placement: A randomised controlled trial of hydrocolloid dressings.

Hypergranulation tissue formation is a common complication after gastrostomy tube (G-tube) placement, occurring in 44%-68% of children. Hydrocolloid dressings are often used in the treatment of hypergranulation tissue but have not been studied for the prevention of postoperative hypergranulation tissue. An institutional review board (IRB)-approved, prospective, randomised study was performed in paediatric patients who underwent G-tube placement at a single, large children's hospital from January 2011 to November 2016. After placement, patients were randomly assigned to (1) standard postoperative G-tube care, (2) standard hydrocolloid G-tube dressing, or (3) silver-impregnated hydrocolloid G-tube dressing, and the incidences of postoperative hypergranulation tissue formation, tube dislodgement, infection, and emergency department use were compared. A total of 171 patients were enrolled; 128 patients (75%) had at least 4 months of follow up and were included in the analyses. Eighty-nine patients (69.5%) developed hypergranulation tissue during the postoperative period, with no significant differences in incidence among the three treatment arms. Of those who developed hypergranulation tissue, 46 (56%) visited the emergency department, compared with 6 of the 39 patients (19%) who did not develop hypergranulation tissue. Hydrocolloid dressings (standard or silver-impregnated) do not prevent the development of hypergranulation tissue or other complications after G-tube placement in paediatric patients.

Research using clinical registries in children's surgical care.

Clinical registries provide a valuable opportunity to study specific diagnoses or conditions with a broader scope than possible using individual center-based series and with more clinical detail than typically available in administrative data sources. These registries amass structured data with uniform definitions, thus facilitating reliable adoption and consistent use across contributing sites. By compiling granular data from a multitude of geographically diverse sites, clinical registries allow investigation of rare outcomes, comparison of practice and cost variation, and benchmarking across institutions. Registries may track cohorts of patients over time, providing unique longitudinal follow-up that cannot be obtained from many alternate data sources. As clinical registries become more prevalent, research conducted using these registries is increasing and helping to expand knowledge boundaries in children's surgery. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of several of the most common clinical registries used in children's surgery and explore the strengths and limits of these tools in the conduct of meaningful health services research.

Measuring the impact of brace intervention on pediatric pectus carinatum using white light scanning.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of Pectus Carinatum (PC) deformity in patients undergoing bracing is limited to subjective assessment of the chest through physical exam and photography. White Light Scanning (WLS) is a novel 3D imaging modality and offers an objective alternative that is quick, inexpensive, and safe. We previously demonstrated the feasibility of using a WLS-derived proxy for Haller index, called the Hebal-Malas Index (HMI), in measuring the surgical correction of Pectus Excavatum. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the use of WLS to measure the severity of pre- and postbracing intervention of PC deformities and assess corrected difference between the two scans. METHODS: We conducted a prospective review of preintervention WLS scans in pediatric patients with PC from 2015 to 2017. HMI was obtained from the preintervention and postintervention WLS scans. Analysis assessed the differences of pre- and postbracing intervention of measurements. RESULTS: Of 32 patients with both pre- and postbracing scans, 13 (34%) showed improvement of more than 10%, 21 (55%) showed slight improvement of 1%-10%, and 4 (11%) did not improve at follow-up. The average postbracing change in the WLS-derived HMI was 0.10 (SD:0.11). The average length of bracing days was 331.4 (SD: 127.3) with an average of 6.8 h worn per day. Compliance was defined as patient reported utilization of the brace. Patients who were compliant showed a significant improvement (p = 0.004) compared to those who were not compliant (Table 2). However, even patients with moderate compliance still improved in many instances. Change in height was a significant factor correlating with improvement. Children who grew more while wearing a brace showed greater improvement in their deformity. CONCLUSION: Using this technique, we have the ability to objectively quantify the impact of bracing on the severity of PC deformity and measure change in deformity over time. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Pediatric arterial catheters: Complications and associated risk factors.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Arterial catheter complications are a common problem in a pediatric critical care setting, but reported complication rates and risk factors associated with peripheral arterial catheter complications vary. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify risk factors in a pediatric patient population. METHODS: We performed a detailed abstraction of provider notes in the electronic medical records of inpatients ≤18years of age who underwent arterial line placement between January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2013 at a university-affiliated standalone pediatric hospital. Inpatient records were assessed for complications associated with arterial catheterization and risk factors inherent to arterial catheter insertion. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-eight children were identified, of whom 75 (33%) had a total of 106 arterial catheter complications. Complications included line malfunctions (59%, n=63), bleeding (16%, n=17), multiple complications (11%, n=12), infiltration (8%, n=9), and hematoma (4%, n=4). Line malfunction was reported in all patients with multiple complications. Independent predictors of complications associated with arterial catheterization were the presence of more than one provider during the insertion (p=0.007) and insertion attempts at multiple sites (p=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggests the need for a prospective study to comprehensively assess provider-related risk factors associated with arterial catheter complications in children. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Using accelerometers to characterize recovery after surgery in children.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of recovery after surgery in children remains highly subjective. However, advances in wearable technology present an opportunity for clinicians to have an objective assessment of postoperative recovery. The aims of this pilot study are to: (1) evaluate acceptability of accelerometer use in pediatric surgical patients, (2) use accelerometer data to characterize the recovery trajectory of physical activity, and (3) determine if postoperative adverse events are associated with a decrease in physical activity. STUDY DESIGN: Children aged 3-18-years-old undergoing elective inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures were invited to participate. Physical activity was measured using an Actigraph GT3X wristworn accelerometer for ≥2days preoperatively and 5-14days postoperatively. Time spent performing light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was expressed in minutes/day. Physical activity for each postoperative day was calculated as a percentage of preoperative activity, and recovery trajectories were produced. Adverse events were reported and mapped against recovery trajectories. RESULTS: Of 60 patients enrolled, 25 (10 inpatients, 15 outpatients) completed the study procedures and were included in the analysis. For outpatient procedures, LPA recovered to preoperative level on postoperative day (POD) 7 and MVPA peaked at 90% on POD 8. For inpatient procedures, LPA peaked at 70% on POD 11, and MVPA peaked at 53% on POD 10. Adverse events in 2 patients were associated with a decline in activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that objective monitoring of postoperative physical activity using accelerometers is feasible in the pediatric surgical population. Recovery trajectories for inpatient and outpatient procedures differ. Accelerometer technology presents clinicians with a new potential tool for assessing and managing surgical recovery, and for determining if children are not recovering as expected. TYPE OF STUDY: Diagnostic Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Preliminary Evaluation of a Novel Rigid Bronchoscopy Simulator.

PURPOSE: Emergent retrieval of airway foreign bodies (AFBs) in children remains a priority skill set for pediatric surgeons. In the setting of low procedural volume, simulation-based education with deliberate practice is essential to ensure trainees reach expected surgical competency. The purposes of this work were to (1) create a realistic rigid bronchoscopy for AFB retrieval simulation model and (2) to evaluate preliminary validity evidence of a novel simulator for the use of training and assessing pediatric surgical trainees' rigid bronchoscopy skills. METHODS: After institutional review board exemption determination, 18 participants performed AFB retrieval of two different objects on a novel simulator that represented an 18-month-old pediatric tracheobronchial airway. Participants reported their experience and comfort level, and rated the simulator across two domains-Authenticity and their Ability to perform tasks. Authenticity was measured by 23 items across five subdomains (Visual Attributes, Materials' Response, Realism of Experience, Value and Relevance, and Global Value). Participants who had previously performed ≥10 rigid bronchoscopies were categorized as "experienced," while those reporting <10 were considered "novice." Validity evidence relevant to test content and internal structure was evaluated using a many-facet Rasch model. RESULTS: Novice surgeons (n = 12) had previously performed a mean of 2.7 (±2.0) rigid bronchoscopies, compared to 15.4 (±7.7) by experienced surgeons (n = 6). For both models, the Value and Relevance subdomain received the highest ratings (observed average [OA] = 3.9, while Materials' Response received the lowest (OA <3.0). Participants' Global Value rating for this model was consistent with "requires minor improvements before it can be considered for use in rigid bronchoscopy training." CONCLUSIONS: We successfully designed, assembled, and evaluated a novel pediatric rigid bronchoscopy model for AFB retrieval. The model was considered as relevant to educational needs and valuable as a testing and training tool. With recommended improvements, the model could be used for implementation with a Mastery Learning curriculum.

Automated data extraction: merging clinical care with real-time cohort-specific research and quality improvement data.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Although prohibitively labor intensive, manual data extraction (MDE) is the prevailing method used to obtain clinical research and quality improvement (QI) data. Automated data extraction (ADE) offers a powerful alternative. The purposes of this study were to 1) assess the feasibility of ADE from provider-authored outpatient documentation, and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of ADE compared to MDE. METHODS: A prospective collection of data was performed on 90 ADE-templated notes (N=71 patients) evaluated in our bowel management clinic. ADE captured data were compared to 59 MDE notes (N=51) collected under an IRB-exempt review. Sixteen variables were directly comparable between ADE and MDE. RESULTS: MDE for 59 clinic notes (27 unique variables) took 6months to complete. ADE-templated notes for 90 clinic notes (154 unique variables) took 5min to run a research/QI report. Implementation of ADE included eight weeks of development and testing. Pre-implementation clinical documentation was similar to post-implementation documentation (5-10min). CONCLUSIONS: ADE-templated notes allow for a 5-fold increase in clinically relevant data that can be captured with each encounter. ADE also results in real-time data extraction to a research/QI database that is easily queried. The immediate availability of these data, in a research-formatted spreadsheet, allows for rapid collection, analyses, and interpretation of the data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective Study.

Pediatric Intussusception: Decreased Surgical Risk with Timely Transfer to a Children's Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Intussusception is a potentially life-threatening condition, and a frequent cause of bowel obstruction during the first two years of life. We hypothesized that patients who were transferred from outside community hospitals, or OSH, without tertiary care capabilities for pediatric services to a large academic children's hospital with intussusception were more likely to require operative management for their intussusception than those who were directly admitted. METHODS: The electronic medical record was queried for patients presenting to Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago with a diagnosis of intussusception (July 1st, 2009-July 1st, 2014). Age, sex, symptom duration, radiologic management, and surgical care were recorded. OSH and transfer reports were analyzed for those patients that presented as a transfer. Statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: We identified 270 patients with intussusception. 232 (80%) were successfully treated non-surgically. 58 (20%) required surgical management. Of the patients requiring surgery, there were 38 reductions (24 laparoscopic, 14 open) and 20 bowel resections (1 laparoscopic, 19 open). Of those patients requiring surgery, 37 (63.8%) had presented as a transfer from an OSH. We found that transferred patients, requiring surgery, spent a mean 7.77 hours at the OSH compared to 4.03 hours for the transferred patients that did not require surgery (p=0.0188). There was no significant difference in transport time (p=0.44). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we identified the amount of time patients spend at hospitals without pediatric surgical capabilities as an independent risk factor necessitating surgical management of intussusception. These data suggest that patients with intussusception who present to hospitals without pediatric radiology or pediatric surgery, should be transferred in an expedited fashion. In the event of a failed enema reduction at an OSH, the transport of the patient should not be delayed as this may result in a higher likelihood of surgical management.

Bipolar spectrum features in obese individuals.

UNLABELLED: AIM : The relationships between obesity and bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD) are unclear. Thus, the aim of our study were to approximate the prevalence of soft bipolar features in patients seeking treatment for obesity. METHODS: We performed a nested case-control study (cases: 90 patients with the mean BMI=38.1±7.0 [range: 30.1-62.5]; controls: 70 healthy volunteers with the mean BMI=21.6±2.1 [range: 18.5-24.9]). The participants were screened for the BSD symptoms with the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients with obesity were significantly more likely to score ≥7 pts. on the MDQ 25.6% vs. 8.6%; p=0.01). In comparison to non-obese individuals, the obese patients scored significantly higher in MDQ section I and on the MDQ items referring to the 'irritability-racing thoughts' dimension of hypomania. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that obesity had been significantly related to the odds of obtaining ≥7 pts. on the MDQ section 1 (odds ratio [OR] = 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-3.63), and marginally significantly related to experiencing periods of 'ups' and 'downs'(OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.00-2.81). CONCLUSIONS: Our study adds to previous suggestions that obesity may be significantly related to the BSD. However, the clinical implications of this finding need to be determined in further studies, performed in accordance with the paradigm of evidence based medicine (EBM).

A single center retrospective review of hair tourniquet syndrome and a proposed treatment algorithm.

INTRODUCTION: Hair tourniquet syndrome (HTS) is a rare disorder characterized by a hair becoming tightly wound around an appendage. There is little known about the epidemiology, optimal treatment, or indications for surgical intervention in HTS. We hypothesized that HTS could be readily diagnosed and treated in the pediatric emergency department and we sought out factors predictive of surgical intervention. METHODS: We performed a single center retrospective review of all patients who presented with a hair tourniquet from May 2004 till March 2014. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were diagnosed with HTS, ranging in age from 2 weeks to 22 years. Of these patients, 69 were located on the toes, 5 on fingers, and 7 on genitalia. The average ages for each location were statistically different (p<0.0001). Ninety-four percent of patients were successfully treated by nonoperative means. Cellulitis was found in two patients. Tissue necrosis occurred in one patient. CONCLUSION: HTS is an uncommon disorder and location differs with age. Chemical depilatory agents should be a first line treatment for this condition in most patients. If chemical tourniquet release fails, then the patient should undergo mechanical tourniquet release. If edema, erythema and pain fail to resolve after tourniquet release, then persistent hair tourniquet should be investigated.