Faculty Bibliography

To build a knowledge-based treatment planning model using RapidPlan for esophageal cancer in the upper, mid and lower thoracic sites while comparing the performance of the model with and without the use of avoidance sectors. Plans from 45 patients with esophageal tumors requiring treatment in the upper (8), middle (15) and lower (22) thoracic regions were selected for training. Prescribed dose ranged from 41.4Gy to 56Gy (1.8-2 Gy/fraction) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB). Clinical plans were re-planned without the use of avoidance sectors. Plans with reduced V105%(cc) to the planning target volume (PTV) while meeting criteria for organs at risk (OARs) were chosen to build the model. The model was validated on 23 plans by comparing the clinical plan to the RapidPlan with and without the use of avoidance sectors. RapidPlan without avoidance sectors reduced the V105%(cc) by 100.1 cc (p< 0.001), compared to the clinical plan, while also reducing the maximum dose. The lung V5 Gy was increased by 5.5% on average (p = 0.02). Doses to the heart, stomach, kidney, large bowel, small bowel and the spinal cord were not compromised. Using avoidance sectors with RapidPlan did not improve plan homogeneity or coverage over the clinical plan, while increasing the V20 Gy to the lungs by 2.8% (p = 0.01). Mean heart dose was increase by 1.1 Gy (p = 0.04), while kidney V18Gy (%) and spinal cord maximum were increased by 7.2% (p = 0.02) and 3.8 Gy respectively (p = 0.01). Volume of the prescription dose outside the PTV was lower by as much as 67 cc while using RapidPlan without avoidance sectors compared to the clinical plan and conformity index (CI) was improved by 7%-8% compared to the clinical plan. Using avoidance sectors worsened the CI by 3%-5% compared with the CP. The RapidPlan model configured for upper, mid and lower thoracic regions without the use of avoidance sectors significantly reduces volumes of the higher doses in the target and therefore potential likelihood of esophageal toxicity without excessively increasing lung dose.

BACKGROUND:Fever in infants under 60 days old raises concern for invasive bacterial infections. In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released updated guidelines, including revised recommendations for infants aged 22 to 28 days, to reduce unnecessary lumbar punctures (LP), hospitalizations, and antibiotic use. This study hypothesized that the guidelines would reduce LPs, specifically in the newly stratified age group. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a single pediatric emergency department of febrile infants aged 22 to 60 days presenting between October 1, 2019, and September 30, 2023, with October 1, 2021, being the division between groups. Infants were excluded if ill-appearing, <37 weeks of gestation, or had complex medical histories. The primary outcome was the proportion undergoing LP. Subgroup analysis was performed by age group, and those identified as low-risk by initial laboratory evaluation. Secondary outcomes included hospital admission, length of stay, and antibiotic use. RESULTS:A total of 132 infants met the inclusion criteria (52 pre-guidelines, 80 post-guidelines), and no exclusion criteria were applied. Following guidelines, the proportion of LPs had a statistically significant decrease (P=0.02), with the reduction maintained in the 22- to 28-day subgroup (P=0.002). The rate of hospital admission and antibiotics followed a similar statistically significant decrease post-guideline introduction, which also maintained for the 22- to 28-day subgroup. There was no statistically significant difference for length of stay or in the 29- to 60-day subgroup analyses. For infants identified as low-risk by laboratory risk-stratification, we discovered a statistically significant reduction in LP following the guidelines (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Implementation of the 2021 AAP guidelines was associated with reduced LPs, hospitalizations, and antibiotic use in infants aged 22 to 60 days, with the greatest impact in the 22- to 28-day subgroup. These guidelines improve risk stratification and reduce invasive interventions while maintaining safe care. While the small sample size limits generalizability, these findings suggest a positive shift in clinical practice.

Primary erythromelalgia (PEM) is a rare neuropathic pain disorder characterized by debilitating burning pain of the extremities relieved by cold exposure. We report a pediatric patient who developed severe, full-thickness lower extremity ulcerations infected with Alternaria alternata and complicated by osteomyelitis following consistent direct skin cooling with window air conditioning. This case demonstrates serious infectious complications that can arise from cooling measures commonly employed for PEM symptom relief.

OBJECTIVE:To better understand the distance relationship of the stapes to the round window, to assist in intraoperative round window identification. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Retrospective review of CT temporal bone imaging and multiplanar image reformat analysis. SETTING/METHODS:Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS/METHODS:Patients above 18 years of age who underwent cochlear implantation between January 2020 and April 2025 and had preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging of the temporal bone. Patients were excluded if they had prior surgical procedures that could distort the stapes superstructure (eg, stapedectomy) or if image quality/resolution precluded adequate visualization of the stapes crus. INTERVENTION/METHODS:None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE/METHODS:Prediction accuracy of the stapes intercrural width to locate the level of the round window. RESULTS:There were 102 ears that were studied, including 51 (50%) left and 51 (50%) right ears. The average measured intercrural width was 2.1 mm (SD: 0.17 mm). The maximum intercrural distance was found to be 2.6 mm, and the minimum distance was 1.7 mm. In all 102 (100%) ears, the intercrural distance of the stapes accurately predicted the level of the RW on image analysis. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The stapes intercrural width can be utilized as an accurate predictor of the round window level and is a simple and intuitive intraoperative tool surgeons can utilize to safely gain access to the cochlea.

IMPORTANCE/UNASSIGNED:There has been a national increase in fatal and nonfatal overdoses involving stimulants, and 4.5 million US individuals meet criteria for stimulant use disorder (UD), with the highest prevalence in young adults. However, limited information exists on trends in diagnosed stimulant UD. OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:To estimate trends in the proportion of adolescent and young adult Medicaid enrollees diagnosed with a stimulant UD from 2001 to 2020. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS/UNASSIGNED:A repeated cross-sectional study (2001-2020) was conducted using administrative health care claims data from Medicaid (public insurance program in US). Publicly insured adolescents (aged 13-17 years) and young adults (aged 18-24 or 25-29 years) from 42 US states were included. Data were analyzed from January 2025 to July 2025. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES/UNASSIGNED:Stimulant UD was defined as an inpatient or outpatient International Classification of Diseases diagnosis code in the year, with cocaine UD and noncocaine psychostimulant UD evaluated separately. The annual proportion with stimulant UD diagnoses was stratified by age group, sex, race and ethnicity, and presence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis or stimulant prescription in the year. Differences comparing 2001 with 2020 were summarized. Characteristics of those diagnosed with stimulant UD in 2020 were described. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:The sample included 5.7 million (2001) to 16.1 million Medicaid enrollees (2020) per year; in 2020, 54.2% were female, and 7.1 million were adolescents. From 2001 to 2020, the proportion diagnosed with noncocaine psychostimulant UD increased from 0.09% to 0.49% (prevalence ratio [PR], 5.47 [95% CI, 5.20-5.75]) in those aged 18 to 24 years, from 0.13% to 1.63% (PR, 12.55 [95% CI, 11.83-13.31]) for ages 25 to 29 years, and from 0.10% to 0.91% among young adults aged 18 to 29 years. Among adolescents, the proportion diagnosed with noncocaine psychostimulant UD varied between 0.03% and 0.07%. The proportion diagnosed with cocaine UD was stable in young adults (range, 0.17%-0.34% [18-24 years] and 0.53%-0.79% [25-29 years]) and declined in adolescents (from 0.04% to 0.01%). Cocaine and noncocaine psychostimulant UD diagnoses were 2 to 4 times more common in patients with an ADHD diagnosis or stimulant prescription. Most patients diagnosed with a stimulant UD in 2020 were also diagnosed with a mental health disorder (68%-82%) or other substance UD (72%-78%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE/UNASSIGNED:The prevalence of noncocaine psychostimulant UD diagnoses in young adult Medicaid patients increased over the last 2 decades, potentially associated with an increasing use of prescription and illicit stimulants along with increased clinical detection. These trends raise concerns given recent rises in stimulant-involved overdose fatalities and stress the need for evidence-based stimulant UD treatments for young people.

Providing care to pediatric oncology patients involves delivering sensitive information to families, addressing diverse psychosocial needs, and navigating patient and family emotions. Psychosocial providers embedded within pediatric oncology clinics are uniquely qualified to address communication gaps between patients and providers, provide support to patients, and facilitate collaborative discussions between patients and the medical team. This quality improvement project aimed to describe the impact of including psychosocial providers in critical conversations between medical teams and families. Through conversation tracking, members of the psychosocial team recorded their involvement in thirty-six critical conversations. The psychosocial team offered various interventions including therapeutic processing, emotional assessment, medical translation, psychosocial support, child-focused support, and facilitation of discussions between families and medical providers. While challenges were identified including time and availability, physicians noted several benefits of psychosocial involvement, particularly in addressing emotional needs and enhancing communication with families. Psychosocial providers also noted benefits including demonstrating alignment with the medical team and enhancing the support that they are able to provide the family following the conversation. By integrating psychosocial support into critical conversations, medical providers can foster a patient-centered approach to care and optimize care delivery to effectively support families facing childhood cancer diagnoses.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To compare the impact of lumbar lordosis correction achieved by cephalad versus caudal distribution on radiographic alignment and surgical outcomes among adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients. METHODS:Patients who underwent ASD surgery with uppermost instrumented vertebrae (UIV) at or above L1, had preoperative pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) > 10°, and had full-body radiographs available were included. Eligible patients were categorized by the focus of lordosis correction: caudal (L4-S1 lordosis between 35 and 45°) and cephalad lordosis-based correction. Patient demographics, preoperative and 2 years spinopelvic alignment and PROMs, and 2 years postoperative surgical complications were compared. RESULTS:In total, 187 (111 caudal and 76 cephalad) patients were included, with mean age of 66.2 years, 78.6% female, and mean frailty score of 3.6. Caudally-restored patients often had an upper thoracic UIV, sacrum/ilium LIV, longer length of fusion, and no lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) while cephaladly-restored patients had two or more LLIFs above L4 (p < 0.001). Preoperatively, there were no significant differences in radiographic alignment and PROMs between the two groups (p > 0.02). Two years postoperatively, caudally-restored patients had higher L1-S1 LL (p = 0.015) and L4-S1 LL (p < 0.001), and lower PI-LL (p = 0.039) and SVA (p = 0.001). In addition, they had higher SRS-22 activity (p = 0.045), pain (p = 0.047), appearance (p = 0.046), and total (p = 0.016) scores. Finally, they had lower rates of sensory deficits (p < 0.001), motor deficits (p = 0.003), implant failure (p = 0.092), and reoperation (p = 0.020). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Caudal lordosis-based correction of spinal deformity patients was associated with higher PROMs and lower rates of neurologic deficits, implant failure, and revisions at 2 years. These findings, while subject to unmeasured confounding, indicate that great caution should be taken when considering cephalad-based correction of ASD.