“This project is exciting as it targets more precise surgery with improved safety in terms of decreased radiation,” says Matthew Oetgen, MD, division chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National.
What if surgeons could fix a child’s hip with pinpoint accuracy – using fewer X-rays and cutting-edge robotics? That’s the promise of a new National Institutes of Health funded project combining 3D imaging and robotic technology to improve the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), a condition that affects the hip joint in growing children.
What’s been the hold-up in the field?
Right now, orthopedic surgeons place screws by hand using 2D X-ray images to guide them. To see the screw from different angles, they have to move the X-ray machine around. “The screw must be placed near the center of the femoral head, but not penetrate it,” says Kevin Cleary, PhD, associate director of engineering at the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation (SZI). This process takes time and can increase the amount of radiation the patient receives.
Even though better tools like 3D imaging and surgical robots exist, they aren’t used together in current surgical practice. “Individual procedures have nuances that require their own validated workflows,” says Tyler Salvador, a research engineer at Children’s National Hospital. In other words, each type of surgery is different, and doctors need proven steps before using new technology in the operating room.
How does this work move the field forward?
This project brings together low-dose 3D X-rays from nView with a small surgical robot called Micromate™ to help place screws more precisely during SCFE surgeries. “Our research group has been developing robotics, imaging, and related technologies to improve surgical procedures,” says Dr. Cleary. While these tools exist separately, putting them together in one system focused on bone surgery is new. Tyler Salvador adds, “This will provide a complete solution for precision SCFE implant placement and verification.”
“This project is exciting as it targets more precise surgery with improved safety in terms of decreased radiation,” says Matthew Oetgen, MD, division chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National. “This is a paradigm-shifting effort that will improve outcomes while improving safety which is the holy grail of translational clinical research. It embodies the goal of the SZI — combining technical expertise with surgical leadership to improve outcomes in pediatric surgery.”
Children’s National leads the way
Children’s National is unique because the Sheikh Zayed Institute combines research and clinical care in one place. “Having the labs right inside the hospital helps us work closely with doctors,” says Salvador.
Together, this work is paving the way for safer, faster and more precise surgeries for children with hip problems. By combining advanced imaging and robotics, the team at Children’s National is helping shape the future of pediatric orthopedic care. In addition to this robotic hip pinning project, the Children’s National team is also behind two additional groundbreaking projects including robotic gallbladder removal and a kidney surgery initiative.
This project has been funded in whole with federal funds from the National Institutes of Health under Contract No.R01EB035559.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Oetgen-hip-pinning-feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2025-06-09 14:36:072025-06-09 14:37:42Transforming pediatric hip surgery with robotics and 3D imaging
Children’s National Hospital hosted its fifteenth annual Research, Education and Innovation Week from March 31–April 4, 2025, bringing together clinicians, scientists, educators and innovators from across the institution to celebrate discovery and collaboration. This year’s theme, “Empowering the Future in Pediatric Research and Innovation with Equity, Technology and a Global Reach,” served as a call to action for advancing science that improves child health both locally and around the world.
Each day of the week-long event featured thought-provoking lectures — now available to watch — dynamic panel discussions, interactive workshops and vibrant poster sessions, all highlighting the diverse and interdisciplinary work taking place across Children’s National.
Centering the patient and the planet
REI Week began on Monday with a powerful keynote lecture from Lynn R. Goldman, MD, MS, MPH, Michael and Lori Milken dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University. In her talk, “Children: Uniquely vulnerable to climate-related threats,” Dr. Goldman underscored the urgent need to protect children from the environmental hazards of a changing climate and to integrate climate science into pediatric care and advocacy.
At mid-morning, Mary-Anne “Annie” Hartley, MD, PhD, MPH, director of the LiGHT Laboratory at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, introduced the “MOOVE” platform — Massive Open Online Validation and Evaluation of clinical LLMs. Her talk demonstrated how artificial intelligence, when rigorously validated, has the potential to transform clinical decision-making and global health equity.
Monday’s final keynote, “Zinc and childhood diarrhea,” was presented by Christopher Duggan, MD, MPH, director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Duggan highlighted the global health impact of zinc supplementation in reducing childhood mortality — a reminder that simple, evidence-based interventions can save millions of lives.
In that first day, the first poster session of the week showcased projects in adolescent medicine, global health, infectious diseases, oncology and more. The session reflected the full breadth of research taking place across Children’s National.
Ambroise Wonkam, MD, PhD, professor of genetic medicine at Johns Hopkins University, then delivered Tuesday’s Global Health Keynote Lecture, “Harnessing our common African genomes to improve health and equity globally.” His work affirmed that inclusive genomics is key to building a healthier world.
Later, the Global Health Initiative event and GCAF Faculty Seminar encouraged attendees to pursue collaborative opportunities at home and abroad, reflecting the growing global footprint of Children’s National research programs.
Transforming education and care delivery
On Wednesday, Larrie Greenberg, MD, professor emeritus of pediatrics, kicked off the day with a Grand Rounds keynote on educational transformation: “Shouldn’t teachers be more collaborative with their learners?” He followed with a CAPE workshop exploring the effectiveness of case-based learning.
In the Jill Joseph Grand Rounds Lecture, Deena J. Chisolm, PhD, director of the Center for Child Health Equity at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, challenged attendees to move beyond dialogue into action in her talk, “Health equity: A scream to a whisper?,” reminding researchers and clinicians that advocacy and equity must be foundational to care.
The day continued with a poster session spotlighting medical education, neonatology, urology and neuroscience, among other fields.
Posters and pathways to progress
Throughout the week, poster sessions highlighted cutting-edge work across dozens of pediatric disciplines. These sessions gave attendees the opportunity to engage directly with investigators and reflect on the shared mission of discovery across multiple disciplines, including:
The REI Week 2025 Awards Ceremony celebrated outstanding contributions in research, mentorship, education and innovation. The winners in each category were:
POSTER SESSION AWARDS
Basic & Translational Research
Faculty: Benjamin Liu, PhD
“Genetic Conservation and Diversity of SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Gene Across Variants of Concern”
Faculty: Steve Hui, PhD
“Brain Metabolites in Neonates of Mothers with COVID-19 Infection During Pregnancy”
Faculty: Raj Shekhar, PhD
“StrepApp: Deep Learning-Based Identification of Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Pharyngitis”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Dae-young Kim, PhD
“mhGPT: A Lightweight Domain-Specific Language Model for Mental Health Analysis”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Leandros Boukas, MD, PhD
“De Novo Variant Identification From Duo Long-Read Sequencing: Improving Equitable Variant Interpretation for Diverse Family Structures”
Staff: Naseem Maghzian
“Adoptive T Lymphocyte Administration for Chronic Norovirus Treatment in Immunocompromised Hosts (ATLANTIC)”
Graduate Students: Abigail Haffey
“Synergistic Integration of TCR and CAR T Cell Platforms for Enhanced Adoptive Immunotherapy in Brain Tumors”
High School/Undergraduate Students: Medha Pappula
“An ADHD Diagnostic Interface Based on EEG Spectrograms and Deep Learning Techniques”
Clinical Research
Faculty: Folasade Ogunlesi, MD
“Poor Air Quality in Sub-Saharan Africa is Associated with Increase Health Care Utilization for Pain in Sickle Cell Disease Patients”
Faculty: Ayman Saleh, MD
“Growth Parameters and Treatment Approaches in Pediatric ADHD: Examining Differences Across Race”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Nicholas Dimenstein, MD, MPH
“Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Eligibility in the Pediatric Emergency Department”
Staff: Tayla Smith, MPH
“The Public Health Impact of State-Level Abortion and Firearm Laws on Health Outcomes”
Graduate Students: Natalie Ewing
“Patterns of Bacteriuria and Antimicrobial Resistance in Patients Presenting for Primary Cloacal Repair: Is Assisted Bladder Emptying Associated with Bacteriuria?”
Graduate Students: Manuela Iglesias, MS
“Exploring the Relationship Between Child Opportunity Index and Bayley-III Scores in Young Children”
High School/Undergraduate Students: Nicholas Lohman
“Preliminary Findings: The Efficacy, Feasibility and Acceptability of Group Videoconference Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention for Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Among Children and Young People”
Community-Based Research
Faculty: Sharon Shih, PhD “Assessing Pediatric Behavioral Health Access in DC using Secret Shopper Methodology”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Georgios Sanidas, MD “Arrested Neuronal Maturation and Development in the Cerebellum of Preterm Infants”
Staff: Sanam Parwani
“Intersectionality of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in Autistic and Non-Autistic Individuals”
Graduate Student: Margaret Dearey “Assessing the Burden of Period Poverty for Youth and Adolescents in Washington, DC: A Pilot Study”
Quality and Performance Improvement
Faculty: Nichole L. McCollum, MD
“A Quality Improvement Study to Increase Nurse Initiated Care from Triage and Improve Timeliness to Care”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Hannah Rodriguez, MD
“Reducing Unnecessary Antibiotic Use in a Level IV NICU”
Staff: Amber K. Shojaie, OTD, OTR/L
“Implementing Dynamic Axilla Splints in a Large Burn Patient”
Meleah Boyle, PhD, MPH
“Understanding and Addressing Environmental Sustainability to Protect the Health of the Children’s National and Global Communities”
Eiman Abdulrahman, MD
“Research Capacity Building to Improve Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care in Ethiopia”
Pilot Awards
Alexander Andrews, MD
“EEG as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker in Severe Pediatric Malaria, Blantyre Malawi”
Daniel Donoho, MD & Timothy Singer, MD
“Feasibility Study of a Novel Artificial Intelligence-Based Educational Platform to Improve Neurosurgical Operative Skills in Tanzania”
Hasan Syed, MD
“Bridging the Gap an Educational Needs Assessment for Pediatric Neurosurgery Training in Pakistan”
Sofia Perazzo, MD & Lamia Soghier, MD, MEd, MBA
“QI Mentorship to Improve Pediatric Screening and Follow-up in Rural Argentina”
Benjamin Liu, PhD
“AI-Empowered Real-Time Sequencing Assay for Rapid Detection of Schistosomiasis in Senegal”
Rae Mittal, MD
“Assessment and Enhancement of Proficiency in Emergency Child Neurology Topics for Post-Graduate Emergency Medicine Trainees in India”
Innovation Day ignites bold thinking
Thursday, REI Week shifted to the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus for Innovation Day, a celebration of how bold ideas and collaborative culture can accelerate progress in pediatric medicine.
REI Week 2025 reaffirmed the values that define Children’s National: a commitment to excellence, collaboration and equity in pediatric research and care. As discoveries continue to emerge from our hospital and our research campuses, the connections built and ideas sparked during this week will help shape the future of pediatric health — locally and globally.
By elevating voices from the bedside to the bench, with the support of the executive sponsors Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MBChB, Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, Kerstin Hildebrandt, MSHS, Linda Talley, MS, RN, NE-BC and David Wessel, MD, REI Week demonstrated that we must embrace the community in all aspects of our work. Because we know that there are answers we can only get from the patients that we serve—and we need to be their voice.
Research, Education & Innovation Week will be back next year on April 13-17, 2026.
Posters at the REI Week 2025 Monday, March 31 poster session.
Panelists discuss innovation during REI Week 2025.
Global Health Initiative community engagement event during REI Week 2025.
Chris Rees presents his REI Week 2025 lecture.
Nathan Kuppermann listens to a presenter during the REI Week 2025 Tuesday, April 1, poster session.
Michelle Riley-Brown, Nathan Kuppermann, Catherine Bollard and Naomi Luban on stage during the REI Week 2025 awards ceremony.
Brandy Salmon presents on innovation programs at Virginia Tech during the REI Week 2025 Innovation Day.
Catherine Bollard listens to a presenter during the REI Week 2025 Monday, March 21 poster session.
Ambroise Wonkman poses for a picture with Children’s National staff.
Tanzeem Choudhury presenting during REI Week 2025.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/REI-Week-2025-Monday-Poster-Session-CNRI.jpg385685Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2025-04-22 10:31:052025-06-10 12:20:52REI Week 2025 empowers the future in pediatric research and innovation
Children’s National is ranked one of the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Our faculty and staff are proud of the impact made on the lives of children and families in our community. Your participation in the U.S. News & World Report annual reputational survey validates the quality of care we provide and reflects the mutual respect and trust we share as healthcare professionals.
How to determine your voting eligibility
Voting for the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals rankings can be done only through Doximity.
To participate, physicians must:
Be board-certified and meet the eligibility criteria for the voting categories.
For child and adolescent psychologists, your account must be up to date with your specialty and subspecialty correctly marked.
Be a credential-verified member of Doximity (you must have an active and claimed Doximity profile).
Have all certifications and board documents currently up-to-date in your Doximity profile.
You have to claim your profile on Doximity.com to participate in the online survey. If you have not yet claimed your Doximity profile, go to Doximity.com, and click “Find My Profile.”
Once your profile has been claimed, you must confirm your email address and board certifications.
Verified Doximity members will receive an email inviting them to participate in the U.S. News survey.
For more information on how to claim your profile, visit Doximity.com
How to update and verify existing Doximity account information
Your Doximity profile must have up-to-date licenses, certifications and board documents.
Once you are logged in, your profile will automatically be in “Edit Mode.” You are able to add new items or edit existing information.
Update your Doximity profile and ensure your information is current.
Once registered, users wishing to participate in the online survey should:
Watch for an email from Doximity about the annual member survey.
Even if you don’t see the email, if you are a registered Doximity user, you can still vote by logging in to Doximity.com with your username and password during the voting period.
Once logged in, look for a U.S. News graphic or button on the homepage and click on it.
The survey asks users to name the hospitals that provide the best care in your respective specialty, without consideration to location or cost. Pediatric specialists will list 10 hospitals. The order in which you list the hospitals does not matter.
Please note: Children’s National Hospital is listed as “Children’s National Hospital Washington, DC” on the survey.
Visit Doximity’s FAQs if you have issues or questions about registration or claiming your profile.
How to cast your vote
In February 2025 when voting opens, all survey-eligible physicians will receive a notification on the Doximity app for Android or iOS. If you do not use the Doximity app, you will receive an email when voting opens.
Log in to your Doximity account at doximity.com or via the mobile app.
Click the Notifications icon or tap the “Submit your Nominations” button on the homepage. You can also search for “U.S. News Best Hospitals”
Select 10 hospitals in your respective specialty that you believe provide the best care in the United States.
Submit your vote
Having technical issues?
If you have difficulty registering with Doximity or completing the survey, please visit Doximity support for assistance.
Vote
The 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals reputation voting will open in mid-February. Look for your Doximity notification to vote.
The Cervical Spine program at Children’s National Hospital is responsible for treating a range of conditions, including trauma, congenital abnormalities and tumors. These conditions can lead to instability or misalignment of the cervical spine. Some of the common symptoms of cervical spine injuries are motor and sensory deficits, incontinence and headaches. These symptoms can indicate underlying issues that need to be addressed promptly.
“There are unique challenges in pediatric cases due to anatomical differences. The cervical spines of children are more at risk for injury because of their developmental stage and structural characteristics,” says Matthew Oetgen, MD, MBA, chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National.
The patient benefits
Children’s National offers a range of treatment options for cervical spine injuries, ranging from nonoperative care to surgical interventions. Nonoperative care options include immobilization with cervical collars or halos. These methods help stabilize the spine without surgery. Surgical interventions such as fixation and fusion are used to maintain alignment and decrease instability and are necessary for more severe cases.
“There are unique challenges in pediatric cases due to anatomical differences. The cervical spines of children are more at risk for injury because of their developmental stage and structural characteristics,” says Dr. Oetgen.
Case 1
In a recent case, a patient was referred to the orthopaedic clinic for a small scoliosis. Benjamin Martin, MD, associate chief of Clinical Operations and Affairs, reviewed the patient’s X-rays and found the spinal deformity minor and not concerning. However, he identified neurological signs during the patient’s physical exam, including mild weakness, unsteady gait, hyperreflexia and positive Babinski and clonus tests. An MRI revealed unstable os odontoideum with upper cervical stenosis and spinal cord compression causing myelomalacia. The patient was referred to Dr. Oetgen and John Myseros, MD, associate chief of Neurosurgery, who confirmed the diagnosis. The patient underwent a C1 decompression and C1-2 fusion using computer-aided navigation. The patient recovered well, achieving C1-2 fusion, improved neurological function and made a full recovery.
Case 2
In another case, a patient with progressive cervical kyphosis was referred to Dr. Oetgen. Diagnosed with medulloblastoma in 2015, the patient had undergone multiple cervical spinal surgeries elsewhere, resulting in post-laminectomy kyphosis causing pain, fatigue and restricted activity. This complex case was managed collaboratively by Drs. Myseros and Oetgen. The patient first underwent halo gravity traction to address the contracted deformity, followed by a combination surgery: anterior discectomy and fusion at C3-4 and C4-5, and posterior cervical fusion from C2-C6. The patient recovered well, showing significant improvement in alignment, comfort and activity levels.
Case 3
In the final case, a patient with Lowe Syndrome was referred after four months of neck pain, stiffness and a rotational deformity of the head, limiting motion and causing discomfort. An MRI and CT scan revealed chronic atlanto-axial rotatory instability, a rare deformity in children. Due to the severity and duration of the patient’s symptoms, Dr. Oetgen and the neurosurgical team recommended an occiput-to-C2 posterior decompression, realignment and fusion. The procedure was successful, and the patient has since returned to full activity with normal alignment and no symptoms.
Key takeaway
The importance of early intervention in cervical spine injuries is key to preventing long-term neurological deficits. It’s important to stay current on screenings and seek timely treatment to maintain neurological function.
In 2024, Children’s National Hospital continued to make remarkable strides across diverse areas of pediatric medicine, from groundbreaking technological innovations to critical health advocacy. The following compilation showcases ten significant stories that demonstrate the breadth and depth of the hospital’s impact, as featured in major national news outlets including NBC Nightly News, CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, The Today Show, Healio, and POLITICO. Delve into our 2024 news highlights for more.
Charles Berul, M.D., and a patient family talk about the pill-sized pacemaker that saved the life of Abby, an infant born with deadly heart defects. (NBC Nightly News)
Sivabalaji Kaliamurthy, M.D., addiction psychiatrist and director of the Addictions Program, spoke to CNN about the impact of drug addiction on teen health and the lack of resources available to treat opioid use disorder. (CNN)
Susma Vaidya, M.D., M.P.H., associate medical director of the IDEAL Clinic, shared her concerns about childhood obesity treatment recommendations issued today by a leading panel of independent U.S. health experts. (The Washington Post)
Shideh Majidi, M.D., M.S.C.S., and Emily Frymark, clinical dietitian, spoke about how the food pharmacy, created in partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank, benefits patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions. (The Washington Post)
Kendric Cromer, a 12-year-old boy being treated at Children’s National Hospital, became the first person in the world with sickle cell disease to begin a commercially approved gene therapy that may cure the condition. “This is a big effort,” says David Jacobsohn, M.D., ScM, M.B.A. (The New York Times)
Mikael Petrosyan, M.D., associate chief of General and Thoracic Surgery, discusses the stress medical staff face when treating young victims of gun violence. (NPR)
Landon, an 11-year-old patient, rang the bell at Children’s National Hospital with family, friends, doctors and nurses cheering after finishing his final round of chemotherapy. (The Today Show)
Monika Goyal, M.D., M.S.C.E., pediatric emergency medicine specialist and co-director of the Center for Translational Research, emphasized the need for awareness in addressing period poverty in teenagers and young adults. (Healio)
Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., P.M.P., vice president and chief innovation officer, participates in a panel discussion covering AI data collection, associated risks, reliance and other topics related to artificial intelligence. (POLITICO)
Children’s National patient Kendric Cromer, 12, became one of the first children ever to be treated with a newly approved gene therapy that will free him from the sickle cell disease that has stolen his childhood. (The New York Times)
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-News-Logo-Collage-feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2024-12-26 11:34:102024-12-26 11:49:26Children’s National in the News: 2024
2024 marked another groundbreaking year for Children’s National Hospital, showcasing remarkable advances across the spectrum of pediatric medicine, research and healthcare innovation. From pioneering surgical procedures to breakthrough artificial intelligence applications, the institution continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible in children’s healthcare. Read on for our list of the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2024.
A study led by researchers at Children’s National Hospital showed that babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic have differences in the size of certain structures in the brain, compared to infants born before the pandemic. The findings suggest that exposure to the coronavirus and being pregnant during the pandemic could play a role in shaping infant brain development. (3 min. read)
Children’s National Hospital was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the eighth straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll list. The Honor Roll is a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide. (2 min. read)
In January 2023, a team of multidisciplinary doctors performed the first case in the world of using bilateral high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pallidotomy on Jesus, a 22-year-old patient with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. The procedure is part of a clinical trial led by Chima Oluigbo, M.D., pediatric neurosurgeon at Children’s National Hospital. (3 min. read)
A novel ultrasound device developed by Bloom Standard received the Food and Drug Administration’s valued breakthrough device designation with the help of Children’s National Hospital. The device that enables autonomous, hands-free ultrasound scans to be performed anywhere, by any user. (2 min. read)
Understanding the effects of Lyme disease on the developing fetal brain is essential to ensure timely prenatal and postnatal treatments to protect the fetus and newborn. In response to this need, Children’s National Hospital is leading a pilot study to establish the groundwork needed for a larger study to determine the effect of in utero exposure to Lyme disease on pregnancy and early childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes. (3 min. read)
Five years ago, Cayden was born 6 weeks early weighing less than four pounds and at risk of dying from her critical congenital heart disease. Today, she’s a happy five-year-old. Early diagnosis of her hypoplastic right ventricle, double inlet left ventricle and critical coarctation of the aorta allowed for the team at Children’s National Hospital to create a careful plan for safe delivery and to offer an innovative hybrid HLHS surgical approach at the hospital within 24 hours after she was born. (1 min. read)
Children’s National Hospital appointed Wayne J. Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C., as the new senior vice president (SVP) of the Children’s National Heart Center. In this role, Dr. Franklin oversees the full spectrum of heart care services including cardiac imaging and diagnostics, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac anesthesia, cardiac surgery and cardiac intensive care. (2 min. read)
By pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) innovation programs at Children’s National Hospital, Marius George Linguraru, D.Phil., M.A., M.Sc., and the AI experts he leads are ensuring patients and families benefit from a coming wave of technological advances. The team is teaching AI to interpret complex data that could otherwise overwhelm clinicians. (4 min. read)
Painting a sobering picture, a research team led by Children’s National Hospital culled years of data demonstrating that maternal mental illness is an under-recognized contributor to the death of new mothers. They called for urgent action to address this public health crisis. (3 min. read)
Children’s National Hospital appointed Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H., as its new executive vice president, chief academic officer and chair of Pediatrics. In this role, Dr. Kuppermann oversees research, education and innovation for the Children’s National Research Institute as well as academic and administrative leadership in the Department of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Services. (2 min. read)
Researchers from Children’s National Hospital presented findings from the first clinical trial of the medication vosoritide for children with hypochondroplasia – a rare genetic growth disorder. During the phase 2 trial, researchers found vosoritide increased the growth rate in children with hypochondroplasia, allowing them to grow on average an extra 1.8 cm per year. (2 min. read)
Since its establishment in July 2023, the Center for Prenatal, Neonatal & Maternal Health Research at Children’s National Hospital has gained recognition through high-impact scientific publications, featuring noteworthy studies exploring the early phases of human development. (3 min. read)
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In this webinar, Jeffrey B. Peck, M.D., pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Children’s National Hospital and an assistant professor at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, discussed the field of hip preservation and how it can help patients who are experiencing hip pain.
Key takeaways
Overview of Hip Preservation: Hip preservation is a relatively new field in orthopedics, focusing on diagnosing and treating conditions that cause hip pain in adolescents and young adults, in order to improve pain and prevent degeneration and arthritis. Two of the most common conditions treated in hip preservation are hip dysplasia and hip impingement.
Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia involves deficiencies in the acetabulum, leading to pain and potential arthritis. It can be diagnosed through X-rays and treated non-operatively with physical therapy or surgically with a periacetabular osteotomy.
Hip Impingement: Hip impingement occurs when abnormal bone shape around the hip joint causes pain and limited motion. It can be treated with physical therapy or hip arthroscopy.
More information
To register for future CME opportunities or view past presentations, visit org/Webinars.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Hip-Preservation-CME-Feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2024-11-27 10:27:102025-06-12 14:22:59CME Webinar: Hip Preservation: Treatment of the Painful Hip in Adolescents and Young Adults
On September 25, 2024, members of the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine division at Children’s National Hospital hosted the inaugural DC Orthopaedic Hip Symposium. This educational event brought together hip preservation and hip arthroplasty specialists from the surrounding area to discuss comprehensive hip care – from care of the symptomatic young adult hip up to replacement of the native hip.
Jeffrey Peck, M.D., a hip preservation orthopaedic surgeon at Children’s National, gave his perspective on the meeting.
Q: What are the current challenges in the field of hip preservation and hip arthroplasty?
A: Hip conditions that cause pain, such as dysplasia or impingement, can be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by non-specialist providers. We have several very effective treatments in the fields of hip preservation and hip arthroplasty. By bringing together the hip specialists in the DC area, we aimed to deepen our own understanding of how to best treat hip pain and to share with other care providers how patients can get the right care at the right time.
Q: How did this gathering address those challenges? What were some of your key takeaways from the event?
A: By bringing people together who treat the hip at multiple different times and in different ways, we were able to broaden our perspective of looking at hip care. This will help us look more sensibly at those areas of uncertainty and will help each of us optimize how we assist patients with hip pain. The event highlighted how there are remaining areas within hip care in which a single, superior approach is not definitively settled.
Q: Who presented, and on what topics?
A:
Andrew Wolff, M.D., discussed borderline hip dysplasia and when arthroscopy can be considered.
Jeffrey Peck, M.D., discussed borderline hip dysplasia, looking at how a periacetabular osteotomy is indicated to preserve the hip and improve pain.
John Christoforetti, M.D., discussed challenging and complex cases of hip pain in soccer athletes.
Christopher Cannova, M.D., discussed how to best perform a total hip arthroplasty when dysplasia has progressed to end stage hip arthritis.
Q: How do you think Children’s National is leading the way in the care of these patients?
A: Children’s National is leading the way in caring for hip preservation patients by providing an integrated care model for patients with hip pain, including a Hip Preservation Fellowship Trained orthopaedic surgeon, physical therapists, psychologists, athletic trainers and physiatry physicians who work in tandem with the surgeons and therapists to optimize non-operative care for patients. By hosting and participating in events like this, we keep our team up to date on the latest approaches to hip treatment as we provide high-quality care to our patients.
“Medicine in general has become increasingly complex and adolescent hip issues are not excluded,” said Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National. “Adolescents are participating in more intensive sports at an early age and we are seeing more and more hip pathology in these kids. We feel it is vital to not only provide comprehensive care for these patients, but also work with our community colleagues to exchange care ideas so we all continue to educate and improve the care for these patients. We hope to continue this forum and expand the outreach so we foster excellence in care throughout the region.”
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/hip-x-ray-Feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2024-10-22 10:28:042024-10-22 10:42:29Children’s National hosts inaugural orthopaedic hip symposium
Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the eighth straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll list. The Honor Roll is a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide.
This year, U.S. News ended ordinal rankings on its Honor Roll. Instead of assigning a numerical rank from 1 to 10, all hospitals on the Honor Roll will be recognized as having attained the highest standards of care in the nation.
In addition, Children’s National tied for #1 pediatric hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, West Virginia and Virginia. It’s also best in the Mid-Atlantic in Neonatology.
For the fourteenth straight year, Children’s National ranked in 10 specialty services. New this year, U.S. News included behavioral health as a service line in the rankings. Since it’s the first year, there are no ordinal rankings for behavioral health, but the Children’s National program was named one of the top 50 programs in the country.
“In my first year here, I witnessed what makes Children’s National so special — our commitment to collaboration, empowering one another, and charting a bold path forward for pediatric care,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “I’m proud U.S. News again recognized Children’s National as one of the top in the nation and the highest-ranked pediatric hospital in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Together, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of care, research and innovation to make a difference for those who matter most — the kids.”
The annual rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals and recognizes the nation’s top 50 pediatric hospitals based on a scoring system developed by U.S. News.
“For nearly two decades, U.S. News has published Best Children’s Hospitals to empower the parents and caregivers of children with complex medical needs,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “Children’s hospitals appearing on the U.S. News Honor Roll have a track record of delivering unparalleled specialized care.”
The bulk of the score for each specialty service is based on quality and outcomes data. The process includes a survey of relevant specialists across the country, who are asked to list hospitals they believe provide the best care for patients with the most complex conditions.
The Children’s National specialty services that U.S. News ranked in the top 10 nationally are:
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Laura Tosi, M.D., was one of four inductees nominated into the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) Hall of Fame, which honors members who have displayed dedication to teaching and mentoring, studying musculoskeletal conditions in children and caring for children with musculoskeletal conditions.
“I was particularly pleased to be recognized because my contributions have not been typical,” said Dr. Tosi. “I have never developed a new surgical technique or made a scientific breakthrough. Rather, I have come to recognize the importance of maintaining good bone health to support the quality of life of our patient population.”
Dr. Tosi began her career at Children’s National Hospital in 1984, focused on the care of children with disabilities such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy and arthrogryposis. Over the course of her tenure, she noted that children with these conditions were surviving at increasingly higher rates, but their quality of life was often derailed by disuse osteoporosis and pathologic fractures.
Her work on secondary fragility fracture prevention ultimately led her to develop the Children’s National Bone Health Program, which launched in 2003. She has since leveraged this program to expand interest in rare bone disease, thanks in part, to her collaborative work with the National Institutes of Health and Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.
“We are all so proud of Dr. Tosi for this amazing recognition,” said Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A., chief of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine at Children’s National. The POSNA Hall of Fame is a BIG DEAL! There really is no more powerful recognition than that of colleagues, and this award shows how much of an impact Dr. Tosi has had worldwide. She is a true leader in pediatric orthopaedic surgery and pediatric bone health, and this award is well deserved. Her dedication to Children’s National, the children of the region and us, her partners, has been unwavering, and we thank her for it.”
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/TOSI-POSNA-feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2024-08-05 14:02:312024-08-05 14:02:31Laura Tosi, M.D., celebrated as a 2024 POSNA Hall of Fame inductee
The 2024 European Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (EPOSNA) Conference took place over four days at the National Harbor in Maryland. The event focused on improving the clinical care of children, as well as advancing the education of surgeons and scientific research in pediatric orthopaedics.
“This meeting allows the scientific exchange of ideas that advances our field and allows our treatments and outcomes to improve,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital.
Oetgen and Megan Young, M.D., served as local co-hosts of the conference.
Sean A. Tabaie, M.D., joined a newly formed POSNA advocacy group for gun safety measures to combat the alarming increase in pediatric gun violence, often resulting in musculoskeletal injuries.
Oetgen moderated a series of sessions that focused on traumatic pediatric injuries.
Tabaie presented during the Neuromuscular session, sharing insights on a novel scoring system validated for quantifying foot deformities in children with cerebral palsy.
“By attending and participating in this meeting we keep up with the science, continue learning and improve the care we provide to our patients,” says Dr. Oetgen.
Highlights from the sessions our team attended
A study published on a cohort of asymptomatic teenagers in the Netherlands reported an incidence of 6.4% of hip dysplasia.
A paper was published looking at differences in femoral version (rotational profile of the femur bone) in periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) patients. It found that patients with painful hip dysplasia had significantly improved hip pain after a PAO in all three femoral version groups.
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Drs. Oetgen and Kane join a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair.
Children’s National Hospital named Matthew Evan Oetgen, M.D., as the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine. Dr. Oetgen serves as chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine.
Children’s National Hospital named Timothy Dennis Kane, M.D., as the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Professor of General and Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Kane serves as chief of General and Thoracic Surgery.
About the award
Drs. Oetgen and Kane join a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair. Children’s National is grateful for its generous donors, who have funded 48 professorships to-date.
Professorships support groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families. They foster new discoveries in pediatric medicine. These appointments carry prestige and honor that reflect the recipient’s achievements and donor’s forethought to advance and sustain knowledge.
Dr. Oetgen is a longstanding leader in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. Under his leadership, Children’s National opened the Fight For Children Sports Medicine Center in 2021. It provides a wide range of orthopaedic services to help young athletes function at their peak performance. Additionally, his team launched the nation’s first pediatric Spinal Fusion Surgical Home. This program led to significant decreases in average length of stay and patient pain scores for children with idiopathic scoliosis.
“We provide state-of-the-art care to young athletes across the region,” says Dr. Oetgen. “This professorship will help us continue the development of innovative clinical and research programs that streamline care for children with complex orthopaedic needs.”
Dr. Oetgen has authored more than 60 book chapters and publications. He has presented at many major national and international conferences in his field. Dr. Oetgen is also a key member of the multidisciplinary clinical trial team that was the first to apply magnetic resonance guided high-intensity focused ultrasound to non-invasively relieve osteoid osteoma tumors in children.
Dr. Kane works to develop the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Center for Surgical Care’s minimally invasive surgery program through clinical practice, instruction and research, while improving minimally invasive surgical techniques and speed into standard clinical care for pediatrics. He serves as principal investigator in the Minimally Invasive Therapy Program in the Bioengineering Initiative of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. He has specific interest and expertise in minimally invasive thoracic, gastrointestinal and neonatal surgery. Under his direction, the Division of General & Thoracic Surgery developed peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), a newer technique to treat esophageal achalasia in children.
“Children’s National performs more POEM procedures than any other children’s hospital in the country,” says Dr. Kane. “I’m grateful for this professorship and look forward to making even more surgical advances in pediatric care.”
The Joseph E. Robert Jr. Trust, through their vision and generosity, are ensuring that Drs. Oetgen, Kane and future holders of these professorships will launch bold, new initiatives. These innovations will help rapidly elevate our leadership in the field of pediatric orthopaedic and general surgery and improve lifetimes for children.
About the donors
The Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Charitable Trust is a long-time champion of Children’s National. It honors the memory of the late Joseph “Joe” E. Robert, Jr. A native of Washington D.C., Joe was an entrepreneur and visionary who believed in the importance of investing in children through education and healthcare. His first gift to Children’s National created and endowed our Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Center for Surgical Care. He was also instrumental in shaping the vision and building support for the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National, created in 2009 with a $150 million gift from the Government of Abu Dhabi.
These professorships embody Joe’s legacy of inspiring others to think bigger and differently to advance pediatric healthcare for children of the Washington, D.C. community and beyond.
“Joe’s legacy is represented through the incredible work being done at Children’s National,” says David Fensterheim, board chair of Fight For Children. “Drs. Oetgen and Kane are trailblazers in pediatric healthcare. We are proud to honor them and their cutting-edge work with this prestigious professorship.”
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You have 30 days from March 1, 2024, to claim credit.
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“I knew something was wrong because Gabi couldn’t walk in a straight line or ride a bike,” said Gabi’s mom, Petrice Young. “Since the surgery, she’s a different person. Dr. Oetgen literally changed her life.”
When Gabi, 17, went for her 12-year checkup, her pediatrician noticed a deformity in her spine. He quickly recommended Gabi make an appointment at Children’s National Hospital with Matthew Oetgen, M.D., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine. The X-rays indicated Gabi had a very large, 73 degree thoracic and 77 degree lumbar, double-S curvature in her spine and it was likely that as she continued to grow, the curve would get bigger.
Surgery was the best next step. The news came as a surprise to Gabi and her family, especially since she wasn’t experiencing any pain at the time.
“I knew something was wrong because Gabi couldn’t walk in a straight line or ride a bike,” said Gabi’s mom, Petrice Young. “Since the surgery, she’s a different person. Dr. Oetgen literally changed her life.”
Gabi was discharged just four days after her spinal surgery.
As a junior in her high school’s biomedical magnet program, Gabi actively participates as a cheerleader and is currently in her third year as a member of the softball team – something she’d never done before. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and participates in community service regularly.
Her dream career? Becoming an orthopaedic surgeon one day, expressing that her personal experience with the surgery will contribute to fostering a unique and meaningful patient-doctor relationship. She is extremely grateful to Dr. Oetgen for performing the surgery and influencing her career goals.
A program developed to treat the wide range of pediatric spine patients
Since 2015, patients undergoing spinal fusion at Children’s National have been part of the first-of-its-kind pediatric Spinal Fusion Surgical Home care model. This model was developed by a multidisciplinary team with the goal to streamline care for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients with an emphasis on increasing quality outcomes.
The team’s coordinated approach means they can deliver care more efficiently, resulting in shorter hospital stays and allowing children to come home as soon as it is medically safe. As a leader in this care concept, Children’s National has standardized the infection-control process, pain-management pathway and physical-therapy program for AIS patients who require spinal fusion.
What is AIS?
Gabi actively participates as a cheerleader and is currently in her third year as a member of the softball team – something she’d never done before.
AIS is a condition of the spine, which typically affects children between the ages of 10 and 14 years old, marked by an abnormal side-to-side shaped curve that measures 10 degrees or greater. There are two types of curves associated with idiopathic scoliosis – C-shaped (one curve) and S-shaped (two curves). Along with the curve, the spine also rotates or twists, pulling the ribs along with it. Children with idiopathic scoliosis may experience uneven hips and shoulders and the head may not be centered with the rest of the body.
The period of rapid growth poses the greatest risk for the progression of a child’s spinal curve. Even after reaching skeletal maturity, a child with a curve exceeding 50 degrees may continue to progress at a rate of one to two degrees per year throughout their lifetime.
Treatment of early onset scoliosis
Early onset scoliosis (EOS) is a curve in the spine present before the age of 10. Diagnosing and addressing spinal deformities in children before the age of 10 can significantly impact the long-term outcomes. Close monitoring allows healthcare professionals to intervene promptly if necessary, preventing the progression of the spinal curve.
Minimally invasive techniques are particularly advantageous in pediatric cases, as they often result in shorter recovery times, reduced pain and minimized disruption to a child’s normal activities. This approach aligns with the goal of returning the child to a normal, active life as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Some minimally invasive techniques for EOS include:
Casting – young children may be placed in what is called Mehta casting. In this advanced casting technique, the child’s chest and abdomen are casted. Every two to four months the cast is replaced as the child grows.
MAGEC™ (MAGnetic Expansion Control) spinal growing rods – these rods are surgically attached to the spine and doctors use an external remote control outside of the body to lengthen the magnetically controlled rod as the child grows. Traditional growing rods require multiple surgeries.
As part of the Growing Spine Study Group, Children’s National collaborates with other hospitals around the world to enhance care for EOS and related deformities.
The right facility
Children’s National is equipped to treat the most severe and high-risk cases of scoliosis. In rare cases, severe spinal curves can require month-long inpatient spinal halo-gravity traction prior to surgery. This can impede a child’s quality of life just as severely as the condition itself, often making eating, breathing and moving difficult.
Spinal halo-gravity traction can reduce the degree of surgical intervention necessary by accomplishing some gradual straightening of the spine prior to spinal fusion procedures. For severe spinal deformities, this has been shown to improve the safety and effectiveness of the final surgical procedure.
Recognizing the challenges posed by both the condition and its treatment, the surgery team at Children’s National endeavors to coordinate cases, providing patients with mutual support throughout the traction process.
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The 2023 International Congress on Early Onset Scoliosis and the Growing Spine (ICEOS) was a three-day conference for surgeons and health professionals from around the world. The sessions focused on solutions for pediatric spine deformities. Matthew Oetgen, M.D., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital, was a member of the faculty.
Session highlights included:
Pre-Course: Pediatric Spine Study Group (PSSG) Mini-Research Symposium – Considerations for your biosketch, regulatory and IRB
How Do You Propel Your Research Team
“Overall this was a great meeting with valuable content,” says Dr. Oetgen. “Learning and teaching alongside fellow orthopaedic leaders is a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved.”
Dr. Oetgen participated in the following sessions:
Timing of Hemivertebra Excision
Let’s Debate! nView Workshop – 3D imaging and guidance, available technologies for pediatric spine and when to use them
The 2023 International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium (IPOS) was a comprehensive four-day conference that addressed a wide range of pediatric and adolescent orthopaedic conditions. The meeting focused on hands-on teaching and state-of-the-art surgical approaches to pediatric orthopaedic surgery.
“IPOS is unique in that, unlike many scientific meetings, there is less emphasis on original scientific content,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital and one of the faculty members of the symposium. “Instead, the focus is on providing instruction, hands-on learning and the introduction of new technology.”
Some session highlights include:
Essentials of Pediatric Orthopaedics – lectures on upper extremity and lower extremity trauma.
The Course for Mid-Career Surgeons – a talk full of valuable insights on mentorship and paying it forward.
The Author’s Preferred Techniques – surgical technique lectures on cavus foot reconstruction and repairing pediatric thumb fractures.
“Each of these sessions offer unique takeaways for a variety of learning levels from residents and fellows to course faculty members like myself,” says Dr. Oetgen. “Overall, this year’s IPOS was very educational and I was proud to have had a number of Children’s National faculty attend and experience the course.”
Dr. Oetgen participated in several sessions:
Essentials of Pediatric Orthopaedics II and III – Session Moderator
Essentials of Pediatric Orthopaedics: Back Pain, Kyphosis and Disc Disease – Lecture
Top Gun Surgical Simulation Competition – Faculty Leader
EMR Hacks to Improve Wellness and Patient Experience – Lecture
Industry Spotlight Session nView Medical – Next Generation Pediatric 3D Imaging and Navigation – Simplifying Your Current Surgical Workflow – Lecture
Children’s National is was the first pediatric hospital in the country to use the 3D imaging technology by nView Medical in the operating room. Researchers studied its impact in the area of pediatric spine surgery, navigation and imaging. The team continues to be a major investigator and knowledge leader with this technology. Moving forward, researchers plan to study the technology’s impact in pediatric orthopaedic surgery.
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Explore some of the notable medical advancements and stories of bravery that defined 2023, showcasing the steadfast commitment of healthcare professionals at Children’s National Hospital and the resilient spirit of the children they support. Delve into our 2023 news highlights for more.
According to a study published in British Medical Journal Global Health, women who get COVID during pregnancy are nearly eight times more likely to die and face a significantly elevated risk of ICU admission and pneumonia. Sarah Mulkey, M.D., prenatal-neonatologist neurologist, discussed findings based on her work with pregnant women and their babies. (Fortune)
A study led by Christopher Vaughan, Psy.D., pediatric neuropsychologist, suggests that — despite what many people may presume — getting kids back to school quickly is the best way to boost their chance for a rapid recovery after a concussion. (CNN)
David Wessel, M.D., executive vice president, chief medical officer and physician-in-chief, explained that one reason parents were still having trouble getting their children beds in a pediatric hospital or a pediatric unit after the fall 2022 respiratory surge is that pediatric hospitals are paid less by insurance. (CNN)
Anisha Abraham, M.D., M.P.H., chief of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, joined America’s Newsroom to discuss the impact social media access has had on children’s mental health.
(FOX News)
After 13-year-old Antonio was nearly killed outside his mom’s apartment, Children’s National Hospital went beyond treating his bullet wounds. Read how our Youth Violence Intervention Program team supported him and his family during his recovery.
(The Washington Post)
Erin and Jade Buckles underwent a successful separation at Children’s National Hospital. Nearly 20 years later they returned to meet with some of the medical staff who helped make it happen. (Good Morning America)
Shilpa Patel, M.D., M.P.H., medical director of the Children’s National IMPACT DC Asthma Clinic, weighed in on a letter published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, asserting that the disparities in mortality due to asthma in the United States vary based on whether they occurred in a hospital, ethnicity or race and age of the patient. (Healio)
After one family embarked on a perilous journey from Afghanistan through Mexico to the U.S.-Mexico border, they eventually secured entry to the U.S. where Karen Smith, M.D., medical director of Global Services, aided the family’s transition and provided their daughter with necessary immediate medical treatment. (NPR)
With the number of young people shot by guns on the rise in the U.S., providers and staff at Children’s National Hospital are trying to break the cycle of violence. But it’s not just the physical wounds though that need treating: young victims may also need help getting back on the right track — whether that means enrolling in school, finding a new group of friends or getting a job. (BBC News)
Callie, a 6-year-old diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, was treated with low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) at Children’s National Hospital and is the second child in the world to receive this treatment for a brain tumor. LIFU is an emerging technology that experts like Hasan Syed, M.D., and Adrianna Fonseca, M.D., are trialing to treat this fatal childhood brain tumor. (The Washington Post)
The FDA approved a new genetic therapy, giving people with sickle cell disease new opportunities to eliminate their symptoms. David Jacobsohn, M.B.A., M.D., confirmed that Children’s National Hospital is one of the authorized treatment centers and talked about giving priority to the sickest patients if they are on Vertex’s list.
(The New York Times)
After the potential need for open-heart surgery threatened Caroline’s Nutcracker performance, Manan Desai, M.D., a cardiac surgeon, figured out a less invasive procedure to help reduce her recovery time so she could perform in time for the holidays. (Good Morning America)
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Hip preservation treats a wide variety of conditions such as hip dysplasia, hip impingement, hip torsion/rotation abnormalities, hip synovitis, snapping hip and hip labrum tears.
The Hip Preservation Program at Children’s National Hospital offers advanced care to children and adults with hip pain, providing a continuum of care that extends well into adulthood. Jeffrey Peck, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon with subspecialty interests in pediatric and young adult hip preservation, discusses the program and what Children’s National is doing to move the needle forward in patient care.
Q: What is hip preservation and what are common conditions it addresses?
A: The field of hip preservation is dedicated to diagnosing and treating hip conditions that result in hip pain and can potentially result in hip degeneration.
There are several potential conditions that can lead to hip pain and eventual hip joint degeneration. These include atypical anatomy in and around the hip joint, which can be congenital, developmental or traumatic in origin. Strains and sprains of the muscles and ligaments around the hip may also cause hip joint pain. Hip preservation treats a wide variety of conditions such as hip dysplasia, hip impingement, hip torsion/rotation abnormalities, hip synovitis, snapping hip and hip labrum tears.
Q: Who is affected and when should a patient seek out an orthopaedic expert?
A: The people most often affected by conditions treated through hip preservation are adolescents and young adults up to age 45 years old who develop hip pain. When hip pain does not subside, it can be due to a condition that has resulted in hip joint inflammation that may eventually begin to cause hip joint degeneration leading to arthritis if the condition is not treated. If a patient has hip pain that lasts for multiple months without improving, it is prudent to seek evaluation with a hip preservation orthopaedic surgeon specialist.
Q: What is Children’s National doing to move the needle for hip preservation patients?
A: Children’s National cares for patients with hip pain using an integrated care team, featuring a Hip Preservation fellowship trained surgeon, physiatry experts, sports psychologists, radiologists and physical therapists with a focus on adolescents and young adults. We work in a collaborative environment with the shared goal of helping patients with hip pain return to living life without the pain that has held them back.
The Children’s National team also collects patient reported outcome scores to better understand the severity of patient symptoms and, later, how surgery has improved those symptoms. Additionally, Children’s National is engaged in research endeavors evaluating hip conditions and how patients have responded to treatment. By pursuing these efforts, we not only assist the patients we see today, but also contribute to advancing care to better help future patients.
Q: What excites you about the future for the field of hip preservation?
A: The field of Hip Preservation is a young specialty within orthopaedic surgery that has demonstrated consistently positive outcomes for patients who previously had very limited treatment options for their hip pain. With this comparative newness comes continual innovation and advancement as we learn more about how hip pain can occur and what we can do to best treat that pain. Procedures that we perform at Children’s National such as the Ganz Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO) and the use of hip arthroscopy to treat hip impingement are relatively new innovations in the field of orthopaedics that can provide immense relief to patients having hip pain.
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Advanced MRI visualization techniques to follow blood flow in the hearts of cardiac patients. Gene therapy for pediatric patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 3D-printed casts for treating clubfoot. These were among the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2023. Read on for our full list.
Cardiac imaging specialists and cardiac surgeons at Children’s National Hospital are applying advanced magnetic resonance imaging visualization techniques to understand the intricacies of blood flow within the heart chambers of children with single ventricle heart defects like hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The data allows surgeons to make critical corrections to the atrioventricular valve before a child undergoes the single ventricle procedure known as the Fontan. (3 min. read)
Children’s National Hospital became the first pediatric hospital to administer a commercial dose of Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl), the first gene therapy for the treatment of pediatric patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Elevidys is a one-time intravenous gene therapy that aims to delay or halt the progression of DMD by delivering a modified, functional version of dystrophin to muscle cells. (2 min. read)
Researchers at Children’s National Hospital developed a pre-clinical model to test drugs and therapies for Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD), a debilitating neuromuscular disease that is growing in numbers and lacks treatment options. The work provides scientists with a much-needed method to identify, develop and de-risk drugs for patients with BMD. (2 min. read)
In 2022, five newborns with life-threatening congenital heart disease affecting their heart rhythms were the first in the United States to receive a novel modified pacemaker generator to stabilize their heart rhythms within days of birth. Two of the five cases were cared for at Children’s National Hospital. In a follow-up article, the team at Children’s National shared that “early post-operative performance of this device has been excellent.” (2 min. read)
Experts from the Food and Drug Administration, Pfizer, Oracle Health, NVIDIA, AWS Health and elsewhere came together to discuss how pediatric specialties can use AI to provide medical care to kids more efficiently, more quickly and more effectively at the inaugural symposium on AI in Pediatric Health and Rare Diseases, hosted by Children’s National Hospital and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech. (3 min. read)
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) named a 2019 study led by clinician-researchers at Children’s National Hospital one of the 12 most influential Pediatric Emergency Medicine articles ever published in the journal Pediatrics. The findings showed that states with stricter gun laws and laws requiring universal background checks for gun purchases had lower firearm-related pediatric mortality rates but that more investigation was needed to better understand the impact of firearm legislation on pediatric mortality. (2 min. read)
Children’s National Hospital recently welcomed pediatric and adult colorectal surgeon Erin Teeple, M.D., to the Division of Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction. Dr. Teeple is the only person in the United States who is board-certified as both a pediatric surgeon and adult colorectal surgeon, uniquely positioning her to care for people with both acquired and congenital colorectal disease and help them transition from pediatric care to adult caregivers. (3 min. read)
The sickle cell team at Children’s National Hospital received a grant from the Founders Auxiliary Board to launch a first-of-its-kind, personalized holistic transformative program for the management of pain in sickle cell disease. The clinic uses an inter-disciplinary approach of hematology, psychology, psychiatry, anesthesiology/pain medicine, acupuncture, mindfulness, relaxation and aromatherapy services. (3 min read)
Non-invasive prenatal testing using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is currently offered to all pregnant women regardless of the fetal risk. In a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, researchers from Children’s National Hospital provided context and expert recommendations for maternal and fetal evaluation and management when cfDNA screening is positive for monosomy X or Turner Syndrome. (2 min. read)
While clubfoot is relatively common and the treatment is highly successful, the weekly visits required for Ponseti casting can be a significant burden on families. Researchers at Children’s National Hospital are looking for a way to relieve that burden with a new study that could eliminate the weekly visits with a series of 3D-printed casts that families can switch out at home. (1 min. read)
A new validated self-report tool provides researchers with a way to characterize the gender of research participants beyond their binary designated sex at birth. The multi-dimensional Gender Self-Report, developed using a community-driven approach and then scientifically validated, was outlined in a peer-reviewed article in the American Psychologist, a journal of the American Psychological Association. (2 min. read)
In a study published by Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, a team at Children’s National Hospital reviewed cardiovascular and bone diseases in chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease patients with a focus on pediatric issues and concerns. (1 min. read)
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023-with-lightbulb-CNRI-feature.png385685Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2023-12-27 10:55:522023-12-28 11:49:10The best of 2023 from Innovation District
“We are committed to discovering methods that eliminate variability in the care process and enhance the quality of care for pediatric orthopaedic patients,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital.
“We are committed to discovering methods that eliminate variability in the care process and enhance the quality of care for pediatric orthopaedic patients,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A., chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital. “The Spinal Fusion Surgical Home model is specifically designed for young patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), laying the foundation for numerous other children undergoing various surgical procedures.”
The first-of-its-kind for pediatric patients, the Children’s National Spinal Fusion Surgical Home continues to streamline care with an emphasis on increasing quality outcomes for patients. At its inception, the program implemented a newly developed model of care to optimize the spinal fusion process for AIS patients. As a leader in this care concept, Children’s National has standardized the infection-control process, pain-management pathway and physical-therapy program for patients undergoing spinal fusion.
The patient benefit
A patient with a right thoracic deformity of approximately 33 degrees and a left thoracolumbar deformity of 54 degrees was treated with an instrumented posterior spinal fusion from T4-L3 and was admitted for 5 days post-operatively.
Children’s National has implemented standardized protocols and ongoing enhancements, including the establishment of a specialized surgical team and the integration of a Lean process analysis. This has led to a notable decrease in the average length of stay for spinal fusion patients from about five days to three days. The surgical home has also reduced the transfusion rate from 30% to 12% and patient pain scores have decreased. Additionally, the number of patients who have returned to the emergency department due to complications has also decreased.
In a case prior to the surgical home model being established, a patient with a right thoracic deformity of approximately 33 degrees and a left thoracolumbar deformity of 54 degrees was treated with an instrumented posterior spinal fusion from T4-L3 and was admitted for 5 days post-operatively. Per standard protocol at the time, this patient stayed in the intensive care unit (ICU) immediately after surgery for a day and a half.
In another case, a patient with a right thoracic deformity of 58 degrees and left thoracolumbar deformity of 67 degrees was treated with a similar instrumented posterior spinal fusion from T4-L3 and admitted for 2.5 days post-operatively. With the new model in place, this patient did not need any time in the ICU, required less length of stay and had less loss of blood.
“By working together with all our care givers, we have been able to standardize our care and decrease care variability. This has proven effective at improving outcomes allowing our patients to recover faster and avoid complications. These cases are an example of our system being primed to treat children with ever increasing complexity with better and better outcomes,” says Dr. Oetgen.
A patient with a right thoracic deformity of 58 degrees and left thoracolumbar deformity of 67 degrees was treated with a similar instrumented posterior spinal fusion from T4-L3 and admitted for 2.5 days post-operatively.
Children’s National leads the way
Over the years, the Spinal Fusion Surgical Home has continuously fine-tuned its approach, resulting in greater success outcomes and better patient care. Children’s National orthopaedic experts have published many articles highlighting this evolution:
Lean process mapping: Implementation of a standardized care pathway developed with the use of the Lean process mapping technique to create an evidence-based protocol for preoperative, operative, postoperative and post-discharge care. Since 2015 our program has demonstrated effective and sustained improvements to the care of patients and decreased postoperative length of stay.
Significant decrease in perioperative blood transfusions: A study published in Pediatric Anesthesia details team findings that implementation of blood-conservation strategies as part of a perioperative surgical home for patients with AIS undergoing posterior spine fusion resulted in significant decrease in perioperative blood transfusions.
Reduced patient length of stay: An in-depth Lean process mapping technique improved outcomes and decreased length of stay of patients, as outlined in an article in Spine Deformity, through use of a standardized care pathway. Work to improve surgical efficiency, intraoperative fluid and blood management, and postoperative pain management continues to further improve effectiveness.
Standardization of intraoperative pain control: A study published in the Journal of Anesthesia on the implementation of the medical home model for AIS-improved pain control and decreased opioid consumption and hospital stay. Through pathway standardization, consistent multi-modal analgesia and early mobilization, the medical home model improved outcomes and is our standard of care.
Reduction in perioperative outcome disparities: Acknowledging the well-documented racial and ethnic disparities in treatment and perioperative outcomes for patients across healthcare, the team documented and published findings that this model was able to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in length of stay and pain scores.
Dedicated surgical team: Having dedicated spine personnel in the operating room decreases surgical time and improves clinical outcomes, as detailed in a study on Spine Deformity.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Matthew-Oetgen-feature.png300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/innovationdistrict_logo-1-1030x165.pngInnovation District2023-12-23 09:57:182024-12-30 12:52:37Advancing care: Innovations and learning in Spinal Fusion Surgical Home
Children’s National is 
In 2024, Children’s National Hospital continued to make remarkable strides across diverse areas of pediatric medicine, from groundbreaking technological innovations to critical health advocacy. The following compilation showcases ten significant stories that demonstrate the breadth and depth of the hospital’s impact, as featured in major national news outlets including NBC Nightly News, CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, The Today Show, Healio, and POLITICO. Delve into our 2024 news highlights for more.
2024 marked another groundbreaking year for Children’s National Hospital, showcasing remarkable advances across the spectrum of pediatric medicine, research and healthcare innovation. From pioneering surgical procedures to breakthrough artificial intelligence applications, the institution continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible in children’s healthcare. Read on for our list of the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2024.
On September 25, 2024, members of the 
Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the 
The 2024 
Join Children’s National Hospital for a pre-recorded Continuing Medical Education (CME) presentation on 
The 2023 
The 2023 
Advanced MRI visualization techniques to follow blood flow in the hearts of cardiac patients. Gene therapy for pediatric patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 3D-printed casts for treating clubfoot. These were among the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2023. Read on for our full list.
