Study: Digital tool detects preoperative pediatric anxiety, depression
Editor's Note A recent study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ 2024 meeting reveals that a computerized mental health assessment, KCAT, may effectively identify anxiety and depression in pediatric surgical patients. According to an October 20 report in Anesthesiology News, the single-center pilot study involved 65 children aged 7…
Digital twin technology aids cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital
Editor's Note Boston Children's Hospital uses digital twins of patients' hearts to improve cardiac surgery precision and ensure positive outcomes, according to an October 15 report in The Washington Post. Digital twins—computerized replications of physical objects and systems—enable surgeons to simulate complex procedures on virtual 3D heart models before making…
AAP releases first opioid prescribing guidelines for children
Editor's Note The first clinical guidance for prescribing opioids to children recommend combining the drugs with nonopioid medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen rather than as monotherapy, according to a September 30 report in Healio. Released by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the guidance also specifies that naloxone should also…
CDC: Pregnancies without prenatal care rise amid declining US birth rates
Editor's Note The percentage of new mothers without any prenatal care is rising amid an overall decline in US birth rates, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NBC News reported on the data August 21. According to the article, CDC’s National Center for…
Antibiotics gaining acceptance as potential alternative to pediatric appendectomy
Editor's Note Evidence is mounting for the use of antibiotics as a valid alternative to surgery for acute appendicitis, including in pediatric cases, the Washington Post reported August 17. The article details how this treatment—described as a “dark secret” by one expert testifying to its use in the 1950s, prior…
Less-invasive anesthesia technique improves pediatric surgery safety, patient experience
Editor's Note A needle-based technique that blocks sensory and motor function below the chest without intubation or general anesthesia makes surgery safer for pediatric patients, according to a July 15 report in Michigan Medicine. The University of Michigan's pediatric spinal anesthesia program, also implemented at University of Michigan-Sparrow Health Center,…
High-flow oxygen deemed safe for pediatric tubeless airway surgery
Editor's Note New findings show that compared to standard anesthetic methods, a new high-flow oxygen technique is just as safe as during tubeless upper airway surgery in children. Published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, the University of Queensland research-- the High-Flow Oxygen for Children's Airway Surgery (HAMSTER) trial—was the focus of…
Blood test could help identify risk of sepsis, organ failure in children
Editor's Note Measuring gene activity in blood samples could help determine whether a child is at risk of sepsis and organ failure, according to findings published March 18 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. It is often difficult for clinicians to diagnose sepsis because the symptoms are similar to…
Diagnosis delays more likely for EDs with fewer pediatric patients
Editor's Note Emergency departments (EDs) that see more young patients tend to deliver more timely diagnoses than those that see fewer young patients, where diagnosis is more likely to be delayed. The findings appeared February 12 study in JAMA pediatrics. The cohort study examined data from January 2015 to December…
Study: Postop emergency appendectomy complications more likely for Black children
Editor's Note In a recent study, black children undergoing emergency appendectomy had a four times greater risk of postoperative complications than white children, independent of socioeconomic status or type of appendicitis. Anaesthesia, the journal of the Association of Anaesthetists, published the findings February 22. Researchers note that this is the…
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