Faculty Bibliography

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Ergonomic injuries pose significant risks to surgeons, affecting health, productivity, care access, and retirement age. Despite unique challenges in pediatric surgery, including varied patient sizes and operations, little is known about pediatric surgeons' ergonomics. This study aimed to assess ergonomic practices and associated injuries among pediatric surgeons. METHODS:A cross-sectional survey was distributed to the American Pediatric Surgical Association regular members and fellows. Data collected included demographics, physical health, surgical practices, operating habits, discomfort, injuries, interventions, and outcomes. Associations with injury were analyzed using Fisher's exact test, Pearson's Chi-squared test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. RESULTS:One hundred seventeen (11%) surgeons responded, 53% were male with a median of 15 y in practice (interquartile range: 6-25). Regarding operating habits, 76% did not take regular breaks, 48% double-gloved, and 51% used loupes regularly. Notably, 90% experienced discomfort or pain, and 30% sustained injuries from operating, primarily affecting the neck and cervical spine (53%). White-identifying pediatric surgeons (80%) reported significantly more ergonomic injuries than other races (P < 0.01). Only 18% of respondents received ergonomic training. Ergonomics training and operating with a resident or co-surgeon were associated with less injury (P < 0.05). Among those experiencing discomfort or injury, 13% underwent a procedure, 63% experienced sleep disturbance, 74% reported contribution to burnout, and 88% used pain medications. CONCLUSIONS:Ergonomic-related discomfort and injuries occurred in nearly 90% of pediatric surgeons who responded. Few had ergonomic training and most reported an impact on well-being. Modifiable ergonomic factors for pediatric surgeons, along with targeted interventions to reduce injuries, can improve surgeon well-being.

BACKGROUND:Four-dimensional computed tomography is routinely used to localize parathyroid disease, with consistently excellent parathyroid gland localization rates reported. This study evaluated whether pairing 4-dimensional computed tomography results with preoperative clinical variables can accurately predict single-gland disease in primary hyperparathyroidism. METHODS:Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent both 4-dimensional computed tomography imaging and parathyroidectomy between January 2019 and September 2021 at a large academic health system were included. Patient demographics, preoperative characteristics, and peri- and postoperative data were collected. The accuracy of 4-dimensional computed tomography in correctly identifying patients with single-gland disease with and without preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone levels was calculated. Single-gland disease was defined by intraoperative parathyroid hormone decrease >50% and a hypercellular gland on pathology. RESULTS:One hundred seventy-five patients had 4-dimensional computed tomography results suggestive of single gland disease. One hundred fifty-two patients (87%) were predicted correctly to have single-gland disease. The predictive accuracy increased when stratifying by preoperative calcium (≥10.5 mg/dL, ≥11 mg/dL, and ≥12 mg/dL) and parathyroid hormone levels (≥65 pg/mL, ≥100 pg/mL, and ≥200 pg/dL). The accuracy further increased when stratifying by age (≤50 years). Accuracy for single gland disease was 100% when combined with any of the following: (1) calcium ≥12 mg/dL, (2) parathyroid hormone ≥200 pg/dL, or (3) calcium ≥11 mg/dL in patients ≤50 years. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Four-dimensional computed tomography alone accurately predicted single gland disease in 87% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. When combined with preoperative calcium, parathyroid hormone and age thresholds, predictive accuracy for single-gland disease approached 100%. Given the high likelihood of single-gland disease in these scenarios, clinicians may consider offering focused unilateral parathyroidectomy without intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring in selected patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Diagnosis of adnexal torsion is challenging due to variable clinical presentations and often inconclusive imaging results. We hypothesized that diagnostic delays are common, leading to prolonged ischemia and subsequent tissue loss. We aimed to identify factors associated with diagnostic delays in pediatric patients with adnexal torsion. METHODS:We performed a multi-institutional retrospective review of females aged 5 to 18 years with confirmed adnexal torsion between 2013 to 2022. Delay to care was defined as prior emergency department discharge within 7 days of operation and/or hospital admission without initial plan for operation. RESULTS:862 patients were identified from 10 children's hospitals, with delayed diagnosis in 30%. Patients with delay were less likely to present with emesis or fever, have initial pediatric surgery consultation, or have typical ultrasound findings of torsion compared to those without delay (P < .05). For every unit increase in area deprivation index, the odds of delay increased by 1.3% (odds ratio 1.013, 95% CI, 1.007-1.018). The odds of delay were 81% greater for patients living > 30 miles from the hospital compared with 1-10 miles (odds ratio 1.812, 95% CI, 1.236-2.657). Oophorectomy and salpingectomy rates were 10% and 13%; those with delay had higher risk of oophorectomy (14% vs 7%, P = .002). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Delayed diagnosis of adnexal torsion is common and associated with higher area deprivation index and farther distance from hospital. Risk of oophorectomy was higher in patients with delay. Improved diagnostics and increased awareness of social disparities are critical to decrease time to definitive treatment and improve rates of adnexal salvage.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:We sought to understand the impact of locum tenens surgeons on pediatric surgical care delivery. METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Children's Hospital Association pediatric surgical practices. Anonymous electronic surveys were used to investigate locum tenens utilization, primary reason for use, limitations on clinical activities, and variations in practice standards or quality. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to evaluate for associations between practice characteristics and locum tenens use. RESULTS:Of 172 practices, 71% (n = 122) completed the survey. Median hospital size was 203 beds (interquartile range = 130-350). Median number of surgeons per practice was 5 (interquartile range = 3-8). Thirty-seven practices (30%) employed locum tenens at primary (n = 27) or satellite (n = 12) sites. Locum tenens utilization was higher in suburban (odds ratio [OR] = 3.78, P = 0.006) and rural (OR = 4.96, P = 0.041) locations and lower at sites with a level 4 neonatal intensive care unit (OR = 0.35, P = 0.035). Most (51%) used locum tenens ≥ 1 time monthly but < 1 time weekly and for ongoing or interim coverage (87%). In total, 14% of practices reported clinical restrictions for locum tenens surgeons, including limitations on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, neonatal index cases, and operative trauma. Most (76%) practices using locum tenens reported variations in practice standards or quality; all were perceived as negative (57%) or neutral (43%). CONCLUSIONS:Locum tenens providers are utilized most commonly in suburban and rural sites and hospitals without the highest level of neonatal intensive care. While locum tenens surgeons may help maintain access to pediatric surgical care where gaps exist, there may be a need to improve the quality and reliability of care rendered.

OBJECTIVE:To examine survival and outcomes in neonates who received therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for neonatal encephalopathy (NE) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) versus ECMO alone. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:This is a retrospective review of Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry data from 2007 to 2017 for neonates undergoing ECMO and TH for NE (TH/ECMO) or ECMO alone. Primary outcomes were ECMO survival and survival to discharge. Secondary outcomes were complications while on ECMO. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's Exact and Mann-Whitney U testing. Multivariate regression was performed to identify predictors of ECMO survival. RESULTS:Of 3 672 neonates, 215 (6%) received TH/ECMO, while 3 457 (94%) received ECMO alone. There was no significant difference in ECMO survival (92% vs. 92%, P=0.70) or survival to discharge (87% vs. 85%, P=0.43) between groups. TH/ECMO group had higher hemorrhagic (29% vs. 20%, P<0.01), neurologic (24% vs.12%, P<0.01) , and metabolic (28% vs. 15%, p<0.01) complications. Multivariate regression identified higher gestational age, absence of inotropes during ECMO, and lack of neurologic, pulmonary, or hemorrhagic complications as independent predictors of ECMO survival. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Neonates undergoing ECMO and TH for NE had survival rates comparable to those receiving ECMO alone. These findings suggest that ECMO can be considered for neonates with NE undergoing TH who meet criteria for ECMO.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe congenital anomaly often accompanied by other structural anomalies and/or neurobehavioral manifestations. Rare de novo protein-coding variants and copy-number variations contribute to CDH in the population. However, most individuals with CDH remain genetically undiagnosed. Here, we perform integrated de novo and common-variant analyses using 1,469 CDH individuals, including 1,064 child-parent trios and 6,133 ancestry-matched, unaffected controls for the genome-wide association study. We identify candidate CDH variants in 15 genes, including eight novel genes, through deleterious de novo variants. We further identify two genomic loci contributing to CDH risk through common variants with similar effect sizes among Europeans and Latinx. Both loci are in putative transcriptional regulatory regions of developmental patterning genes. Estimated heritability in common variants is ∼19%. Strikingly, there is no significant difference in estimated polygenic risk scores between isolated and complex CDH or between individuals harboring deleterious de novo variants and individuals without these variants. The data support a polygenic model as part of the CDH genetic architecture.

BACKGROUND:Radioactive iodine therapy (RAI) is a frequently chosen therapy for Graves' disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether RAI for Graves' disease increases the risk of thyroid malignancy. METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed of all Graves' disease patients who underwent thyroidectomy at a single institution between 2013 and 2022. Comparative analyses were performed with cohorts based on RAI therapy as the primary grouping variable. RESULTS:413 patients were identified, of which 38 received RAI prior to surgery. RAI treated patients were more likely to undergo surgery for known malignancy or indeterminate nodules. RAI patients were also more likely to have malignancies larger than 1 ​cm. Among RAI treated patients, those who developed malignancy were older at the time of Graves' diagnosis and received early RAI therapy. CONCLUSIONS:Use of RAI for treatment of Graves' disease increases the progression of thyroid carcinoma, but not the prevalence. Older age and early RAI therapy may be risk factors for malignancy in RAI treated patients.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) therapy is increasingly being used to support children with refractory cardiorespiratory failure, but its use is occasionally associated with complications.1 Neonatal aortic dissection in association with ECLS is rare and the clinical sequelae of aortic dissection in neonates are poorly understood. We report a case of extensive type B aortic dissection in a neonate receiving ECLS therapy for refractory cardiogenic shock secondary to tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy and Wolf Parkinson White (WPW) syndrome. The patient was noted to have aortic dissection along with multiple abdominal organ ischemic injury a day after ECLS arterial cannula position adjustment. The patient was rapidly decannulated from ECLS and the aortic dissection was managed conservatively with good outcome. We discuss our approach and rationale behind conservative management of this rarely reported complication associated with ECLS therapy and discuss available literature.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The premature infant brain may be particularly vulnerable to anesthesia effects, but there is conflicting evidence on the association between anesthesia exposure and developmental outcomes. Twin studies can control for confounding factors. A twin cohort of premature twins provides internal control of difficulty to measure confounders and delivers added power to a study examining the effects of anesthesia on neurodevelopmental outcomes. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective cohort study of sets of premature twins and multiples born at an academic medical center, in which 1 member of the set was exposed to general anesthesia. The primary outcome was the composite scores using Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development III performed at age 6 months to 18 months. Unpaired and paired analyses were performed with linear regression models, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS:We identified 81 children born at less than 32 weeks gestation within 39 sets of twins and 1 set of triplets for a total of 18 paired observations. All of the exposed infants had a single exposure to general anesthesia. There was no significant association between anesthesia exposure and a diagnosis of developmental delay (OR = 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-3.2; p = 0.99). Regression models demonstrated no association between anesthesia exposure and cognitive (96.67 vs 97.50; p = 0.74), language (98.33 vs 98.61; p = 0.94), or motor (96.25 vs 96.44; p = 0.91) composite Bayley scores. There was no association between duration of anesthesia and the 3 composite Bayley scores ( p = 0.33; p = 0.40; p = 0.74). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Using a premature twin cohort with discordant exposure to anesthesia, our data did not demonstrate any association between anesthesia exposure and developmental delay in this vulnerable population of premature infants.

BACKGROUND:Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography imaging has been shown to be an independent risk factor for malignancy in thyroid nodules. More recently, a new positron emission tomography radiotracer-Gallium-68 DOTATATE-has gained popularity as a sensitive method to detect neuroendocrine tumors. With greater availability of this imaging, incidental Gallium-68 DOTATATE uptake in the thyroid gland has increased. It is unclear whether current guideline-directed management of thyroid nodules remains appropriate in those that are Gallium-68 DOTATATE avid. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed Gallium-68 DOTATATE positron emission tomography scans performed at our institution from 2012 to 2022. Patients with incidental focal Gallium-68 DOTATATE uptake in the thyroid gland were included. Fine needle aspiration biopsies were characterized via the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. Bethesda III/IV nodules underwent molecular testing (ThyroSeq v3), and malignancy risk ≥50% was considered positive. RESULTS:In total, 1,176 Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET scans were reviewed across 837 unique patients. Fifty-three (6.3%) patients demonstrated focal Gallium-68 DOTATATE thyroid uptake. Nine patients were imaged for known medullary thyroid cancer. Forty-four patients had incidental radiotracer uptake in the thyroid and were included in our study. Patients included in the study were predominantly female sex (75%), with an average age of 62.9 ± 13.9 years and a maximum standardized uptake value in the thyroid of 7.3 ± 5.3. Frequent indications for imaging included neuroendocrine tumors of the small bowel (n = 17), lung (n = 8), and pancreas (n = 7). Thirty-three patients underwent subsequent thyroid ultrasound. Sonographic findings warranted biopsy in 24 patients, of which 3 were lost to follow-up. Cytopathology and molecular testing results are as follows: 12 Bethesda II (57.1%), 6 Bethesda III/ThyroSeq-negative (28.6%), 1 Bethesda III/ThyroSeq-positive (4.8%), 2 Bethesda V/VI (9.5%). Four nodules were resected, revealing 2 papillary thyroid cancers, 1 neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features, and 1 follicular adenoma. There was no difference in maximum standardized uptake value between benign and malignant nodules (7.0 ± 4.6 vs 13.1 ± 5.7, P = .106). Overall, the malignancy rate among patients with sonography and appropriate follow-up was 6.7% (2/30). Among patients with cyto- or histopathology, the malignancy rate was 9.5% (2/21). There were no incidental cases of medullary thyroid cancer. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The malignancy rate among thyroid nodules with incidental Gallium-68 DOTATATE uptake is comparable to rates reported among thyroid nodules in the general population. Guideline-directed management of thyroid nodules remains appropriate in those with incidental Gallium-68 DOTATATE uptake.