Orthopaedics

ARPA-H logo

Children’s National selected as member of ARPA-H Investor Catalyst Hub spoke network

ARPA-H logoThe hospital will advocate for the unique needs of children as part of nationwide network working to accelerate transformative health solutions.

Children’s National Hospital was selected as a spoke for the Investor Catalyst Hub, a regional hub of ARPANET-H, a nationwide health innovation network launched by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

The Investor Catalyst Hub seeks to accelerate the commercialization of groundbreaking and accessible biomedical solutions. It uses an innovative hub-and-spoke model designed to reach a wide range of nonprofit organizations and Minority-Serving Institutions, with the aim of delivering scalable healthcare outcomes for all Americans.

“The needs of children often differ significantly from those of adults. This partnership reflects our commitment to advancing pediatric healthcare through innovation and making sure we’re addressing those needs effectively,” said Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president and chief innovation officer at Children’s National. “Leveraging the strength of this hub-and-spoke model, we anticipate delivering transformative solutions to enhance the health and well-being of the patients and families we serve.”

Children’s National joins a dynamic nationwide network of organizations aligned to ARPA-H’s overarching mission to improve health outcomes through the following research focus areas: health science futures, proactive health, scalable solutions and resilient systems. Investor Catalyst Hub spokes represent a broad spectrum of expertise, geographic diversity and community perspectives.

“Our spoke network embodies a rich and representative range of perspectives and expertise,” said Mark Marino, vice president of Growth Strategy and Development for VentureWell and project director for the Investor Catalyst Hub. “Our spokes comprise a richly diverse network that will be instrumental in ensuring that equitable health solutions reach communities across every state and tribal nation.”

As an Investor Catalyst Hub spoke, Children’s National gains access to potential funding and flexible contracting for faster award execution compared to traditional government contracts. Spoke membership also offers opportunities to provide input on ARPA-H challenge areas and priorities, along with access to valuable networking opportunities and a robust resource library.

post-op x-ray of internal brace augmentation surgery

Innovative internal brace augmentation improves long-term foot stability

The use of internal brace (IB) augmentation leads to significantly improved long-term foot stability in flatfoot reconstructive surgery for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and pes planovalgus (flat foot) deformities, according to data presented by researchers at the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine annual meeting.

Moving the field forward

The study looked at 58 patients − 31 without IB augmentation and 27 with IB augmentation. Both cohorts maintained improved radiographic indices at the final 24-month timepoint. However, weightbearing radiographs for the IB augmentation group had less midfoot collapse, maintaining a statistically significant difference in all radiographic parameters two years following the index procedure.

“Internal brace augmentation is an innovative surgical technique that provides additional stability to the medial column soft tissues following lateral collateral ligament (LCL) surgery,” says lead author Sean Tabaie, M.S., M.D., F.A.A.O.S., pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Children’s National Hospital and  developer of this surgical technique.

The patient benefit

“Pes planovalgus deformities are common in children with CP and with painful progression, surgery is often indicated,” says Dr. Tabaie. “This procedure will help prevent mid-foot collapse and better maintain long-term foot shape when weightbearing.”

This novel surgical technique helps to maintain proper biomechanical orientation of the foot following LCL for correction of a pes planovagus foot deformity in the ambulatory pediatric CP population. Patients who received IB augmentation demonstrated consistently better radiographic parameters, including talar-first metatarsal angles and talonavicular coverage angles compared to those who underwent surgery without IB augmentation.

Children’s National Hospital leads the way

Children’s National demonstrates leadership in this area through its involvement in innovative clinical research including the surgical approach outlined in this study. This work is unique for two reasons:

  • Patient population: The study focuses on a specific and complex patient population—children with CP and pes planovalgus foot deformities. This highlights Children’s National Hospital’s commitment to addressing the individual healthcare needs of pediatric patients with special conditions.
  • Surgical innovation: The use of IB augmentation as a surgical technique is innovative. Children’s National is at the forefront of exploring new approaches to improve outcomes and quality of life for children with CP.

Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation consortium members

Children’s National awarded nearly $7.5 million by FDA to lead pediatric device innovation consortium

Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation consortium membersChildren’s National Hospital was awarded nearly $7.5 million in a five-year grant to continue its leadership of an FDA-funded pediatric device consortium. Building upon a decade of previous consortium leadership, the new consortium is Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation (APDI) and features a new and expanded roster of partners that reflects its added focus on providing pediatric innovators with expert support on evidence generation, including the use of real-world evidence (RWE), for pediatric device development.

Collaborating for success

With the goal of helping more pediatric medical devices complete the journey to commercialization, APDI is led by Children’s National, with Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president and chief innovation officer, serving as program director and principal investigator, and Julia Finkel, M.D., pediatric anesthesiologist and director of Pain Medicine Research and Development in the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, serving as principal investigator.

Consortium members include Johns Hopkins University, CIMIT at Mass General Brigham, Tufts Medical Center, Medstar Health Research Institute and MedTech Color. Publicly traded OrthoPediatrics Corp., which exclusively focuses on advancing pediatric orthopedics, is serving as APDI’s strategic advisor and role model for device innovators whose primary focus is children.

Why we’re excited

Consortium initiatives got underway quickly with the announcement of a special MedTech Color edition of the “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!”™ competition that focuses on African American and Hispanic innovators. Interested innovators can find details and apply at MedTech Color Pitch Competition. The competition was announced at the recent MedTech Color networking breakfast on Oct. 10,2023 at The MedTech Conference powered by AdvaMed.

“We all benefit from greater equity and inclusion among pediatric MedTech founders, decision-makers, investigators and developers in more effectively addressing the needs of the entire pediatric population,” said Eskandanian. “We need the expertise and insights of innovators from diverse backgrounds, and we want to provide these talented individuals with more opportunities to present their work and share their perspectives on pediatric device development.”

Additional details

APDI is one of five FDA-funded consortia created to provide a platform of services, expertise and funding to help pediatric innovators bring medical devices to the market that specifically address the needs of children.

 

Patient and doctor demoing Rare-CAP technology

M.D. in your pocket: New platform allows rare disease patients to carry medical advice everywhere

When someone has a rare disease, a trip to the emergency room can be a daunting experience: Patients and their caregivers must share the particulars of their illness or injury, with the added burden of downloading a non-specialist on the details of a rare diagnosis that may change treatment decisions.

Innovators at Children’s National Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, supported by Takeda, are trying to simplify that experience using a new web-based platform called the Rare Disease Clinical Activity Protocols, or Rare-CAP. This revolutionary collection of medical information allows patients to carry the latest research-based guidance about their rare disorders in their phones, providing a simple QR code that can open a trove of considerations for any medical provider to evaluate as they work through treatment options for someone with an underlying rare disease.

“No one should worry about what happens when they need medical help, especially patients with rare diseases,” said Debra Regier, M.D., division chief of Genetics and Metabolism at Children’s National and Rare-CAP’s lead medical advisor. “We built this new tool because I have watched as my patient-families have wound up in an emergency room — after all, kids get sprains or fractures — but they don’t have the expertise of a rare disease specialist with them. My hope is that they’re going to pull out their phones and access Rare-CAP, which will explain their rare disease to a new provider who can provide more thoughtful and meaningful care.”

The big picture

A rare disease is defined as any disorder that affects less than 200,000 people in the United States. Some 30 million Americans are believed to be living with one of the 7,000 known rare disorders tracked by the National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD). Led by Dr. Regier, the Rare Disease Institute at Children’s National is one of 40 NORD centers for excellence in the country that provide care, guidance and leadership for the wide array of disorders that make up the rare disease community.

While a key goal of Rare-CAP is to bolster patient self-advocacy, the platform will also allow medical providers to proactively search for protocols on rare diseases when they know they need specialized advice from experts at Children’s National, a network of tertiary care centers and patient organizations.

As a leading values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company, Takeda has committed $3.85 million to the project to help activate meaningful change and empower a brighter future for rare disease communities, providing a unique understanding of the struggle that patients and caregivers face when they need care.

“Our team, alongside the medical and rare disease community, saw the need for a single portal to collect standardized care protocols, and we are thrilled to see this innovative tool come to life,” said Tom Koutsavlis, M.D., head of U.S. Medical Affairs at Takeda. “People with rare diseases and their caregivers need faster access to authoritative medical information that providers anywhere can act on, this will lead to improving the standard of care, accelerating time to diagnosis and breaking down barriers to increase equitable access.”

The patient benefit

The creators of Rare-CAP imagined its use in a wide range of settings, including emergency rooms, surgical suites, dental offices, urgent care offices and school clinics. The platform will eventually profile thousands of rare diseases and lay out the implications for care, while also creating a dynamic conversation among users who can offer updates based on real-world experience and changes in medical guidance.

“Our patients are unique, and so is this tool,” Dr. Regier said. “As we roll out Rare-CAP, we believe it is just the beginning of the conversation to expand the platform and see its power for the patient and provider grow, with each entry and each new rare disease that’s added to the conversation.”

AAP conference logo

Children’s National Hospital at the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics meeting

There will be over 20 Children’s National Hospital-affiliated participants at this year’s American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition. The meeting will take place in Washington, D.C., from October 20 – October 24. We have compiled their sessions into a mini schedule below.

 

Date Time Presenter Title Division
10/20/2023 8:30 AM Vanessa Madrigal, M.D., M.S.C.E. Section on Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery Program: Day 1 Critical Care
10/20/2023 2:30 PM Kibileri Williams, M.B.B.S Appy Hour: a Current Update on Pediatric Appendicitis Surgery
10/20/2023 3:30 PM Roopa Kanakatti Shankar, M.D., M.S. Precocious Puberty: Puberty Suppression or Not? Endocrinology
10/21/2023 7:30 AM Allison Markowsky, M.D. What is Trending in the Newborn Nursery: Controversies and Evidence Hospital Medicine
10/21/2023 8:00 AM Jessica Herstek, M.D. Joint Program: Council on Clinical Information Technology and Council on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Medical Informatics
10/21/2023 8:00 AM Nazrat Mirza, M.D., Sc.D. Section on Obesity Program IDEAL Clinic (Obesity Program)
10/21/2023 8:00 AM Hans Pohl, M.D. Section on Urology Program: Day 2 Urology
10/21/2023 9:00 AM Anil Darbari, M.D., M.B.B.S., M.B.A. Constipation: Getting it to Work Out in the End Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
10/21/2023 9:00 AM Kibileri Williams, M.B.B.S Appy Hour: a Current Update on Pediatric Appendicitis Surgery
10/21/2023 1:30 PM Olanrewaju (Lanre) Falusi, M.D. Educational Program and Annual Assembly for Medical Students, Residents, and Fellowship Trainees Pediatrician
10/21/2023 2:00 PM Brian Reilly, M.D. Noise 201 – More than Headphones! Otolaryngology
10/21/2023 2:00 PM Erin Teeple, M.D. Hernias, Hydroceles, and Undescended Testicles: When to Wait and When to Operate Surgeon
10/21/2023 3:30 PM Amanda Stewart, M.D. Section on Emergency Medicine Program: Day 2 Emergency Medicine
10/21/2023 3:30 PM Shideh Majidi, M.D., M.S.C.S. Healthcare Disparities in Management of Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetes Technology Endocrinology
10/21/2023 3:30 PM Natasha Shur, M.D. Genetic Testing Boot Camp Geneticist (RDI)
10/21/2023 5:00 PM Danielle Dooley, M.D., M.Phil Connecting School Systems and Health Systems: Successes and Opportunities Pediatrician
10/22/2023 8:00 AM Jaytoya Manget, DNP, FNP Pediatricians and School Attendance: Innovative Approaches to Prevent Chronic Absenteeism
10/22/2023 8:00 AM Simone Lawson, M.D. Section on Emergency Medicine Program: Day 3 Emergency Medicine
10/22/2023 8:00 AM Hans Pohl, M.D. Section on Urology Program: Day 3 Urology
10/22/2023 1:00 PM Lenore Jarvis, M.D., M.Ed. Section on Early Career Physicians Program
10/22/2023 5:00 PM Brian Reilly, M.D. Pediatric Hearing Loss: What’s New in Diagnostics, Prevention and Treatments Otolaryngology
10/23/2023 8:00 AM Rosemary Thomas-Mohtat, M.D. Point-of-Care Ultrasound Fundamentals Course Emergency Medicine
10/23/2023 9:00 AM Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A. Section on Radiology Program: Imaging Diagnosis and Management of Osteoarticular Infections Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine
10/23/2023 9:00 AM Christina Feng, M.D. Masses for the Masses: Abdominal Masses in Children Surgeon
10/23/2023 9:00 AM Narendra Shet, M.D. Section on Radiology Program: Imaging Diagnosis and Management of Osteoarticular Infections Radiology
10/23/2023 9:00 AM Shireen Atabaki, M.D., M.P.H. Section on Advances in Therapeutics and Technology Program Telemedicine
10/23/2023 1:00 PM Brian Reilly, M.D. Pediatric Otolaryngology: Back to Basics Otolaryngology
10/23/2023 1:00 PM Sonali Basu, M.D. Point-of-Care Ultrasound Critical Competency Course CCM
10/23/2023 1:00 PM Vanessa Madrigal, M.D. Joint Program: Section on Bioethics, Section on LGBT Health and Wellness and Section on Minority Health, Equity, and Inclusion Critical Care
10/23/2023 2:00 PM Rebecca Persky, M.D. Menstrual Disorders: Primary or Secondary Amenorrhea Endocrinology
10/23/2023 5:00 PM Christina Feng, M.D. Masses for the Masses: Abdominal Masses in Children Surgeon
10/24/2023 9:00 AM Vanessa Madrigal, M.D. Section Showcase: Applying Ethics Principles and Tools To Advocate for Vulnerable Populations Critical Care

 

U.S. News Badges

Children’s National Hospital ranked #5 in the nation on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll

U.S. News BadgesChildren’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked #5 in the nation on the U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the seventh 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.

For the thirteenth straight year, Children’s National also ranked in all 10 specialty services, with eight specialties ranked in the top 10 nationally. In addition, the hospital was ranked best in the Mid-Atlantic for neonatology, cancer, neurology and neurosurgery.

“Even from a team that is now a fixture on the list of the very best children’s hospitals in the nation, these results are phenomenal,” said Kurt Newman, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “It takes a ton of dedication and sacrifice to provide the best care anywhere and I could not be prouder of the team. Their commitment to excellence is in their DNA and will continue long after I retire as CEO later this month.”

“Congratulations to the entire Children’s National team on these truly incredible results. They leave me further humbled by the opportunity to lead this exceptional organization and contribute to its continued success,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, who becomes the new president and CEO of Children’s National on July 1. “I am deeply committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, empowering our talented teams and charting a bold path forward to provide best in class pediatric care. Our focus will always remain on the kids.”

“I am incredibly proud of Kurt and the entire team. These rankings help families know that when they come to Children’s National, they’re receiving the best care available in the country,” said Horacio Rozanski, chair of the board of directors of Children’s National. “I’m confident that the organization’s next leader, Michelle Riley-Brown, will continue to ensure Children’s National is always a destination for excellent care.”

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 17 years, U.S. News has provided information to help parents of sick children and their doctors find the best children’s hospital to treat their illness or condition,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “Children’s hospitals that are on the Honor Roll transcend in providing exceptional 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 eight Children’s National specialty services that U.S. News ranked in the top 10 nationally are:

The other two specialties ranked among the top 50 were cardiology and heart surgery, and urology.

girl hugging boy in wheelchair

Comparison of immobilization techniques following hip reconstruction surgery in children with cerebral palsy

girl hugging boy in wheelchair

Currently, there is no standardized protocol or consensus regarding post-operative immobilization following hip reconstruction in children with cerebral palsy or with other neuromuscular conditions.

A new study, led by Sean Tabaie, M.D., and published in Cureus, evaluated the effects of several methods of postoperative immobilization to determine which technique has the fewest complications.

Why it matters

Currently, there is no standardized protocol or consensus regarding post-operative immobilization following hip reconstruction in children with cerebral palsy or with other neuromuscular conditions.

What we learned

Findings provide evidence that there are no significant clinical ramifications of using less restrictive immobilization types such as abduction pillows in patients undergoing hip reconstruction surgery. There was no significant difference in length of stay, pain control duration or complication rates among the three methods of immobilization tested in the study.

What’s next

Further analysis is warranted to gather sufficient data of patients immobilized with an abduction pillow after skeletal osteotomies in conjunction with an anterior hip open reduction to definitively recommend its use versus a more restrictive option in the setting of an open reduction.

You can read the full study “Evaluating Postoperative Immobilization Following Hip Reconstruction in Children with Cerebral Palsy” in Cureus.

3d illustration of a lumbar spine injection

Epidural analgesia best option for kids after neuromuscular hip reconstruction?

3d illustration of a lumbar spine injection

A study showed that post-operative use of epidural analgesia in patients with neuromuscular conditions provided similar outcomes to traditional pain management regimens.

Sean Tabaie, M.D., pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and medical director of the motion capture lab at Children’s National Hospital, led a retrospective study to determine whether post-operative use of epidural analgesia in patients with neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy, provided similar outcomes with regard to pain scores, length of stay, duration of foley placement, duration of pain control and complications as compared to traditional pain management regimens.

The study showed that the use of epidural analgesia was associated with comparable pain scores, despite the increased length of stay and duration of Foley placement.

Why it matters

Neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy, are the most common motor disabilities in the pediatric population. Children with these conditions frequently have accompanying hip deformities that require pelvic and femur osteotomy to correct the spastic hip dislocations.

Studies suggest that children with cerebral palsy already experience twice as many complications and have high reoperation rates following hip surgery compared to their non-cerebral palsy counterparts. Therefore, to optimize outcomes in an already at-risk patient population – likely to undergo multiple procedures to correct musculoskeletal abnormalities – it is crucial to minimize opioid usage given its addictive nature and side effects such as constipation, sedation and tolerance.

Sean Tabaie

Dr. Sean Tabaie

What’s next

“We believe the present study can serve as a foundation for future prospective and multi-center studies, which should aim to investigate dose and timing of epidural analgesia in children with neuromuscular conditions with a particular focus on surgical approach, side effects and time to return to activity,” says Dr. Tabaie.

Given the scarcity of data surrounding the use of epidural anesthesia in children with neuromuscular conditions, future research should seek to further investigate the efficacy of epidural analgesia for post-operative pain management in children with neuromuscular conditions.

You can read the full study “Use of Epidural Analgesia in Children With Neuromuscular Conditions Following Hip Reconstruction” in Cureus.

Authors on the study from Children’s National include Sean Tabaie, M.D.

Osteopath examining boy's spine

Early-onset scoliosis etiology has greatest impact on long-term patient-reported outcomes

Osteopath examining boy's spine

A new study found underlying etiology of early-onset scoliosis has a significant impact on long-term patient reported outcomes.

Health-related quality of life is an important parameter to assess in the treatment of early-onset scoliosis (EOS). Understanding the impact of surgical intervention on a patient’s quality of life will help set patient expectations and can be useful in shared decision making around treatment options. A study published in Spine Deformity found underlying etiology of EOS has a significant impact on long-term patient reported outcomes.

What’s been the hold-up in the field?

“There is limited understanding of how our surgical interventions affect patient reported quality of life because a validated patient outcome tool has been lacking,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A., chief of Orthopaedics at Children’s National Hospital and one of the study’s authors. “The recent development and use of the Early Onset Scoliosis Questionnaire (EOSQ) allows us to assess patient reported outcomes.”

How does this work move the field forward?

Underlying etiology has a significant impact in the long-term patient reported outcome. This information will allow surgeons and families to understand the impact of surgical intervention, set expectations, give a baseline for expected patient benefit from treatments and indicate when other assessments should be undertaken to improve patient outcomes.

How will this work benefit patients?

Many patients report good outcomes with surgical intervention for EOS. This will allow us to reassure patients and families we can make a positive impact in their lives when treating EOS, which is a very stressful diagnosis.

You can read the full study, Impact of surgical treatment on parent-reported health related quality of life measures in early-onset scoliosis: stable but no improvement at 2 years, in Spine Deformity.

images of baby's legs and casts

Innovation in clubfoot management using 3D anatomical mapping

Idiopathic clubfoot is one the most common congenital deformities of the lower extremity. Its incidence is reported to be 1-2 cases per 1000 live births.

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. The study, presented at the SPIE Medical Imaging Conference 2022, uses a novel photogrammetry method to gather 3D surface images of infant clubfoot anatomy and assess the foot position and correction.

Even better, this approach captures the images without additional radiation exposure.

“We’re not changing the gold standard of Ponseti casting, we’re adding to it,” says Sean Tabaie, M.D., orthopaedic surgeon at Children’s National and one of the study’s authors. “The more families we have in this study the greater the potential to move this field forward.”

Read more about the study, Development of a novel photogrammetry method for acquiring 3D surface models of infant clubfoot anatomy.

red and grey kidney illustration

Cardiovascular and bone diseases in chronic kidney disease

red and grey kidney illustration

A new study reviews cardiovascular and bone diseases in chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease patients with a focus on pediatric issues and concerns.

In a study published by Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease and co-authored by Aadil Kakajiwala, M.D., MSCI, critical care specialist and nephrologist at Children’s National Hospital, a team reviewed cardiovascular and bone diseases in chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease patients with a focus on pediatric issues and concerns.

Chronic kidney disease is common and causes significant morbidity including shortened lifespans and decrease in quality of life for patients. The major cause of mortality in chronic kidney disease is cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease within the chronic kidney disease population is closely tied to disordered calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The metabolic bone disease of chronic kidney disease encompasses vascular calcification and the development of long-term cardiovascular disease.

Recent data suggest that aggressive management of metabolic bone disease can augment and improve cardiovascular disease status. Pediatric nephrologists need to manage the metabolic bone disease while keeping the ongoing linear growth and skeletal maturation in mind, which may be delayed in chronic kidney disease.

Read the full study in Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease.

x-ray of cervical spine

Experts reach consensus in study using modified Delphi technique

x-ray of cervical spine

The understanding of many aspects of care for children with cervical spine injuries is limited due to the low number of these injuries and the limited experts in the field.

A new study, published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, brought together an international, multidisciplinary group of pediatric cervical spine experts to generate 45 consensus statements regarding the management of pediatric cervical spine disorders and stabilization using a modified Delphi technique.

What this means

Cervical spine injuries are rare in the pediatric population. The understanding of many aspects of care for children with cervical spine injuries is limited due to the low number of these injuries and the limited experts in the field. Despite this, cervical spine injuries can have devastating outcomes if improperly treated. Consensus around optimal treatment of these injuries from experts is necessary.

“Giving evidence and practical treatment guidelines to these injuries for less experienced centers to follow is important,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., chief of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital and one of the study’s authors. “The goal is to better elucidate the treatment of these injuries to improve care internationally.”

How will this work benefit patients?

Improved guidelines and recommendations for the treatment of patients with cervical spine injuries will lead to more optimal outcomes and decreased complications for pediatric patients with these rare but potentially devastating injuries.

What did you find that excites you?

“We were able to practically define what constitutes abnormalities in pediatric cervical spines — what constitutes injuries and what does not — to improve the assessment of children,” says Dr. Oetgen. “We have improved the understanding of optimal preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative and nonoperative care for these patients to improve outcomes for these injuries.”

How is Children’s National leading in this space?

Although rare, pediatric cervical spine injuries are serious. Limited centers, like Children’s National, have expertise in this area of surgery. This study is the initial legwork towards improving the treatment options of these injuries internationally. Children’s National, along with other institutions, will continue to develop approaches for the management of pediatric cervical spine disorders and stabilization.

You can read the full study, Developing consensus for the management of pediatric cervical spine disorders and stabilization: a modified Delphi study, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.

Abstract Happy 2022 New Year greeting card with light bulb

The best of 2022 from Innovation District

Abstract Happy 2022 New Year greeting card with light bulbA clinical trial testing a new drug to increase growth in children with short stature. The first ever high-intensity focused ultrasound procedure on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis. A low dose gene therapy vector that restores the ability of injured muscle fibers to repair. These were among the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2022. Read on for our full top 10 list.

1. Vosoritide shows promise for children with certain genetic growth disorders

Preliminary results from a phase II clinical trial at Children’s National Hospital showed that a new drug, vosoritide, can increase growth in children with certain growth disorders. This was the first clinical trial in the world testing vosoritide in children with certain genetic causes of short stature.
(2 min. read)

2. Children’s National uses HIFU to perform first ever non-invasive brain tumor procedure

Children’s National Hospital successfully performed the first ever high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) non-invasive procedure on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis. This was the youngest patient to undergo HIFU treatment in the world.
(3 min. read)

3. Gene therapy offers potential long-term treatment for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2B

Using a single injection of a low dose gene therapy vector, researchers at Children’s National restored the ability of injured muscle fibers to repair in a way that reduced muscle degeneration and enhanced the functioning of the diseased muscle.
(3 min. read)

4. Catherine Bollard, M.D., M.B.Ch.B., selected to lead global Cancer Grand Challenges team

A world-class team of researchers co-led by Catherine Bollard, M.D., M.B.Ch.B., director of the Center for Cancer and Immunology Research at Children’s National, was selected to receive a $25m Cancer Grand Challenges award to tackle solid tumors in children.
(4 min. read)

5. New telehealth command center redefines hospital care

Children’s National opened a new telehealth command center that uses cutting-edge technology to keep continuous watch over children with critical heart disease. The center offers improved collaborative communication to better help predict and prevent major events, like cardiac arrest.
(2 min. read)

6. Monika Goyal, M.D., recognized as the first endowed chair of Women in Science and Health

Children’s National named Monika Goyal, M.D., M.S.C.E., associate chief of Emergency Medicine, as the first endowed chair of Women in Science and Health (WISH) for her outstanding contributions in biomedical research.
(2 min. read)

7. Brain tumor team performs first ever LIFU procedure on pediatric DIPG patient

A team at Children’s National performed the first treatment with sonodynamic therapy utilizing low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) medication on a pediatric patient. The treatment was done noninvasively through an intact skull.
(3 min. read)

8. COVID-19’s impact on pregnant women and their babies

In an editorial, Roberta L. DeBiasi, M.D., M.S., provided a comprehensive review of what is known about the harmful effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women themselves, the effects on their newborns, the negative impact on the placenta and what still is unknown amid the rapidly evolving field.
(2 min. read)

9. Staged surgical hybrid strategy changes outcome for baby born with HLHS

Doctors at Children’s National used a staged, hybrid cardiac surgical strategy to care for a patient who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) at 28-weeks-old. Hybrid heart procedures blend traditional surgery and a minimally invasive interventional, or catheter-based, procedure.
(4 min. read)

10. 2022: Pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstructive surgery today

In a review article in Seminars in Pediatric Surgery, Marc Levitt, M.D., chief of the Division of Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction at Children’s National, discussed the history of pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstructive surgery and described the key advances that have improved patients’ lives.
(11 min. read)

Staphylococcus aureus

Microbiological diagnoses and clinical outcomes for acute hematogenous osteomyelitis

Staphylococcus aureus

Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis is an infection that occurs in the bone and is most commonly caused by the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus.

Hospital length of stay (LOS) was shorter and odds of receiving three or more unique antibiotics for acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) was lower in culture-negative patients versus culture-positive patients, according to findings presented by researchers at Children’s National Hospital. The data was presented as part of a poster presentation at the ID Week 2022 conference.

AHO is an infection that occurs in the bone and is most commonly caused by the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. AHO affects about 2-13 children per 100,000 in developed countries each year.

“For most patients with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis, the antibiotics we treat them with are empiric antibiotics – that is, our “best guess” at what antibiotic they should be on – as opposed to “definitive” antibiotics based on microbiologic results,” says Rana Hamdy, M.D., M.S.C.E., M.P.H., director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Children’s National Hospital and one of the authors of the study. “But with increasing antibiotic resistance, sometimes our “best guess” is wrong and that could lead to longer hospital length of stay and multiple changes in antibiotic regimens for some patients.”

She continues, “For this reason, the 2021 Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society clinical practice guidelines for patients with bone and joint infections suggest performing a bone biopsy when feasible to be able to have culture results to help guide the antibiotic choices.”

Blood and bone cultures may identify causative pathogens and determine antibiotic susceptibilities but obtaining bone cultures is an invasive procedure that carries risks including bleeding and the risk of sedation for the procedure.

The retrospective study included 367 patients under age 21 admitted to Children’s National Hospital from January 2010 – June 2020 with a final clinician’s diagnosis of AHO. Of the 367 patients, 210 (57.2%) had at least one positive culture result, 151 patients (41.1%) had all negative cultures, and 6 (1.6%) patients had no blood, bone or synovial fluid cultures obtained. About 83% of patients with positive culture were identified as having Staphylococcus aureus infections. Specifically, about 24% of identified pathogens were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

In this population being culture-negative was associated with shorter LOS and lower odds of receiving three or more unique antibiotics.

“Our study disproved our hypothesis that patients without positive cultures would have longer hospital length of stay; however, because it was a retrospective study, there was the potential for additional confounding factors that we may not have been able to adjust for,” Dr. Hamdy adds.

Boy on e-scooter with Mom

E-scooter bone injuries on the rise

Over the past decade, electric scooters (e-scooters) have been increasing in popularity across the country. But with their popularity, visits to the hospital have also been on the rise. According to a new abstract, e-scooter injuries are becoming much more common and increasingly severe.

Authors of the abstract, “National Trends in Pediatric e-Scooter Injury,” found hundreds of e-scooter injuries between 2011-2020.

Boy on e-scooter with Mom

Over the years, e-scooter injuries are becoming much more common and increasingly severe.

The findings show that the rate of hospital admittance for patients increased from fewer than 1 out of every 20 e-scooter injuries in 2011 to 1 out of every 8 requiring admittance into a hospital for care in 2020.

“The number of annual e-scooter injuries has increased from 2011 to 2020, likely due in some part to the rise in popularity of rideshare e-scooter apps,” said lead author Harrison Hayward, M.D., Emergency Medicine fellow at Children’s National Hospital. “Our study has characterized the spectrum of injuries that occur in children, which helps emergency room doctors prepare for taking care of them and helps parents and families to practice better safety.”

The most common injuries were arm fractures (27%), followed by minor abrasions (22%) and lacerations needing stitches (17%). The average age was 11.1 years and 59% of patients were male.

With the alarming rise in injuries, Dr. Hayward and other experts are saying the use of helmets are a must since over 10% of the reported cases were head injuries.

“Research has broadly demonstrated that helmets save lives for bicycle riders, and we should think similarly about e-scooters,” he said.

You can read more about the findings on the American Academy of Pediatrics website.

NCC PDI 2022 pitch competition winners

Five winners selected in prestigious pediatric device competition

The National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI) announced five awardees chosen in its prestigious “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!” competition. Each received a share of $150,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with awards ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 to support the advancement of pediatric medical devices.

Consistent with its mission of addressing the most pressing pediatric device needs, this year’s competition, moderated by MedTech Innovator, welcomed medical device technologies that address the broad unmet needs of children. The pediatric pitch event was part of the 10th Annual Symposium on Pediatric Device Innovation, co-located with the MedTech Conference, powered by AdvaMed.

This year’s pediatric device innovation awardees are:

  • CorInnova – Houston, TX – Minimally invasive biventricular non-blood contacting cardiac assist device to treat heart failure.
  • Innovation Lab – La Palma, CA – Mechanical elbow brace stabilizes tremors for pediatric ataxic cerebral palsy to improve the performance of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
  • Prapela – Biddeford, ME – Prapela’s incubator pad is the first innovation to improve the treatment of apnea of prematurity in over twenty years.
  • Tympanogen – Richmond, VA – Perf-Fix replaces surgical eardrum repair with a nonsurgical clinic procedure
  • Xpan – Concord, Ont. – Xpan’s universal trocar enables safest and most dynamic access and effortless upsizing in conventional/mini/robotic procedures.

“We are delighted to recognize these five innovations with critical NCC-PDI funding that will support their journey to commercialization. Improving pediatric healthcare is not possible without forward-thinking companies that seek to address the most dire unmet needs in children’s health,” says Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A, P.M.P, vice president and chief innovation officer at Children’s National Hospital and principal investigator of NCC-PDI. “We know all too well how challenging it is to bring pediatric medical devices to market, which is why we have created this rich ecosystem to identify promising medical device technologies and incentivize investment. We congratulate this year’s winning innovators and applaud their efforts to help bridge these important care gaps that are impacting children.”

Empowering Innovators

NCC-PDI is one of five consortia in the FDA’s Pediatric Device Consortia Grant Program created to support the development and commercialization of medical devices for children, which lags significantly behind the progress of adult medical devices. NCC-PDI is led by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National and the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, with support from partners MedTech Innovator and design firm Archimedic.

A pediatric accelerator program, powered by MedTech Innovator, the largest medical device accelerator in the world, is a key part of the network of resources and experts that NCC-PDI provides in support of pediatric innovators. All five of this year’s competition finalists had an opportunity to participate in the year-long accelerator program.

To date, NCC-PDI has mentored 250 medical device projects to help advance their pediatric innovations throughout all stages of the total product life cycle (TPLC).

Eskandanian adds that supporting the progress of pediatric innovators is a key focus of the new Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, a one-of-its-kind ecosystem that drives discoveries that save and improve the lives of children. On a nearly 12-acre portion of the former, historic Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Northwest Washington, D.C., Children’s National has combined its strengths with those of public and private partners, including industry, universities, federal agencies, start-up companies and academic medical centers. The campus provides a rich environment of public and private partners which, like the NCC-PDI network, will help bolster pediatric innovation and commercialization.

NCC PDI 2022 pitch competition winners

A total of $150K was awarded to five pediatric innovations during the medical device pitch competition at the 10th Annual Symposium on Pediatric Device Innovation, hosted by the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI). Award winners include (from left to right): Zaid Atto, founder and CEO at Xpan; John Konsin, CEO and co-founder of Prapela; Elaine Horn-Ranney, co-founder and CEO at Tympanogen; William Altman, CEO at CorInnova; and Sharief Taraman, pediatric neurologist at CHOC and University of California-Irvine partnering with Innovation Lab. (Photo credit: Children’s National Hospital)

boy with cerebral palsy

Race and salvage hip procedures in cerebral palsy

boy with cerebral palsy

The authors discovered that Black patients had an increased risk compared to white patients of undergoing a salvage procedure for hip dysplasia.

A new study by Children’s National Hospital orthopedic surgeon Sean Tabaie, M.D., FAAOS, examined whether or not race is an independent risk factor for patients with cerebral palsy to undergo a salvage hip procedure or experience postoperative complications for hip dysplasia treatment.

Due to tone issues, patients with cerebral palsy are specifically prone to hip dislocation. Treatment modalities for these patients include preventive soft tissue release, reconstruction and salvage procedures. Reconstructive surgery of the hip joint is considered the gold standard with the goal of producing a mobile and painless hip. Salvage procedures are defined as operations that are used after there has been permanent changes to anatomy of the femur and/or pelvis. In the case of patients with cerebral palsy, when hip reconstruction is no longer an option, salvage procedures are considered a last resort, if not a radical solution, to improve quality of life and pain relief.

Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Pediatric database, Dr. Tabaie and colleagues examined data from 3,906 patients with cerebral palsy between the ages of 2 and 18 years undergoing a procedure for hip dysplasia. They discovered that Black patients had an increased risk compared to white patients of undergoing a salvage procedure for hip dysplasia. Additionally, Black patients were found to have an increased risk of any postoperative complication compared to white patients. Fortunately, there were no significant findings between the race and risk of surgical site complications, unplanned readmissions or reoperations.

The authors conclude that, “After controlling for variability in baseline characteristics, the present results suggest that patient race is independently associated with the risk of pediatric patients with cerebral palsy to both undergo a salvage hip procedure and to experience postoperative medical complications, with Black patients having increased odds for these unfavorable outcomes compared to white patients.”

Dr. Tabaie is the medical director of the Motion Capture and Gait Lab at The Fight for Children Sports Medicine Center at Children’s National Hospital as well as assistant professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and pediatrics co-chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Joseph E. Robert Jr., Center for Surgical Care.

Read the full article, Race Is Associated With Risk of Salvage Procedures and Postoperative Complications After Hip Procedures in Children With Cerebral Palsy, in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics.

US News Badges

Children’s National named to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll

US News BadgesChildren’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked No. 5 nationally in the U.S. News & World Report 2022-23 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the sixth straight year Children’s National has made the list, which ranks the top 10 children’s hospitals nationwide. In addition, its neonatology program, which provides newborn intensive care, ranked No.1 among all children’s hospitals for the sixth year in a row.

For the twelfth straight year, Children’s National also ranked in all 10 specialty services, with seven specialties ranked in the top 10.

“In any year, it would take an incredible team to earn a number 5 in the nation ranking. This year, our team performed at the very highest levels, all while facing incredible challenges, including the ongoing pandemic, national workforce shortages and enormous stress,” said Kurt Newman, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “I could not be prouder of every member of our organization who maintained a commitment to our mission. Through their resilience, Children’s National continued to provide outstanding care families.”

“Choosing the right hospital for a sick child is a critical decision for many parents,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “The Best Children’s Hospitals rankings spotlight hospitals that excel in specialized care.”

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.

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 seven Children’s National specialty services that U.S. News ranked in the top 10 nationally are:

The other three specialties ranked among the top 50 were cardiology and heart surgery, gastroenterology and gastro-intestinal surgery, and urology.

MRI Room

Children’s National uses HIFU to perform first ever non-invasive brain tumor procedure

MRI Room

Children’s National Hospital successfully performed the first-ever high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) procedure on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis (NF). This is the youngest patient to undergo HIFU treatment in the world. Image provided by Insightec.

Children’s National Hospital successfully performed the first-ever high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) procedure on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis (NF). This is the youngest patient to undergo HIFU treatment in the world. The advancement of children’s medical devices in the U.S. continues to significantly lag behind adult devices. This is why this milestone marks a significant advance in making pediatric surgery more precise and less invasive.

The hospital is offering this treatment to patients under an ongoing research clinical trial. Children’s National is one of the first pediatric hospitals in the nation to use HIFU for neuro-oncology patients. It’s also the first hospital in the world to use it to treat a pediatric patient with NF. NF is a condition that occurs in approximately 1 in 3,500 births and causes tumors to form in the brain, spinal cord and nerves.

“Using HIFU to treat our pediatric patients is a quantum leap towards non-invasive surgery for kids,” said Robert Keating, M.D., division chief of Neurosurgery and co-director of the HIFU program at Children’s National. “It’s exciting because the future is now here and it’s significantly better for our kids, in terms of non-invasive surgery with lower risk of complications and no exposure to radiation.”

Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a non-invasive therapeutic technology with the potential to transform the treatment of many medical disorders by using ultrasonic thermal energy to specifically target tissue deep in the body. The technology can treat without incisions or the need of radiation.

FUS, which has been used for adult clinical trials for many decades, can be delivered through high- or low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU). HIFU uses non-invasive therapy that uses focused ultrasound waves to thermally ablate a focal area of tissue. Children’s National will now use HIFU to treat low-grade type tumors located in difficult locations of the brain, such as hypothalamic hamartomas and pilocytic astrocytoma, as well as for movement disorders and epilepsy.

An alternative approach, LIFU uses lower levels of energy to disrupt the blood-brain barrier. Unlike medications, which often have difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier, LIFU can transiently open the blood-brain barrier to chemotherapy. This may allow more effective treatment of tumors and offer opportunities to treat, for the first time, the entire extent of a malignant brain tumor.

“Having focused ultrasound technology as a tool and conducting clinical trials will allow our neurologists and oncologists to offer a non-invasive treatment option to many patients who suffer from neurological conditions,” said Hasan Syed, M.D., co-director of the HIFU program at Children’s National. “The milestone of performing this first HIFU procedure will lead the way to better understanding of the effect of this technology and provide patients with more options.”

At Children’s National, the HIFU program is being led by Dr. Keating and a multidisciplinary team, including clinicians and investigators from the Sheik Zayed Institute for Pediatric Innovation, radiology, oncology, surgery and orthopedics. In an effort to collaborate with the region’s adult hospitals, Children’s National will also treat adult patients on a selective basis who have movement disorders such as essential tremor and Parkinson’s. There is a scarcity of similar resources in the metro region. Many adult patients face one-year wait periods for treatment of their movement disorders, requiring many to travel out of state for treatment.

The LIFU program is scheduled to be operational in 2022. It will likely be the first in the U.S. to treat high-grade pediatric brain tumors with disruption of the blood-brain barrier and provide more effective routes for chemotherapy as well as potential immunotherapy and molecular approaches.

“The use of LIFU with microbubbles to open up the blood-brain barrier is an exciting, potentially game-changing approach for children with these tumors,” said Roger Packer, M.D., senior vice president of the Center for Neurosciences and Behavioral Medicine at Children’s National. “It should safely allow the blood-brain barrier to open and allow delivery of potentially life-saving personalized therapy to the tumor and spare the rest of the brain. It is the most exciting, new development in brain tumor therapy for these malignant midline tumors in the past 50 years.”

Children’s National continues to be a leader in pediatric HIFU use. In 2015, Children’s National doctors became the first in the U.S. to use MR-HIFU to treat pediatric osteoid osteoma – a benign, but painful bone tumor. Successful clinical trial results led to FDA approval in early 2021 for the use of the technology for this treatment. In 2020, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation also designated Children’s National as the first global pediatric Center of Excellence for using this technology to help patients with specific types of childhood tumors.

inside the sports medicine center

Children’s National launches premier pediatric sports medicine center

inside the sports medicine center

The center houses orthopaedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, physical therapists and imaging specialists and includes sports performance and injury prevention programs, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation and training gym and a motion capture lab for traditional 3D gait analysis and sports performance improvement.

The Fight For Children Sports Medicine Center at Children’s National is the first facility of its kind dedicated solely to young athletes in the Washington, D.C., region and serves as a one-stop shop for children’s athletic endeavors. The center houses orthopaedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, physical therapists and imaging specialists and includes sports performance and injury prevention programs, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation and training gym and a motion capture lab for traditional 3D gait analysis and sports performance improvement.

“Children are not just small adults. They are their own entity and have concerns that are specific to them. We’ve developed the center in a way that focuses on young and adolescent athletes,” says Matthew Oetgen, M.D., M.B.A., division chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National Hospital. “It’s not just about treating the injury — it’s about getting them rehabbed and instilling the confidence that they can get back and play sports again and that there’s not going to be another issue that we can’t solve together.”

Taking care of an athlete and improving their performance includes many steps and providers. The Fight For Children Sports Medicine Center offers integrated care that allows children to recover from injuries, improve their performance and prevent future injuries all under one roof. This makes the treatment plan more cohesive for the care team and more convenient for patients and families.

The Fight For Children’s Sports Medicine Center is now accepting patients in Silver Spring, MD. Visit our website to learn more.