Surgical Innovation Archives

Nikki Posnack, PhD, named as Foglia-Hills Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Research

March 23, 2026

Dr. Posnack joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair.

Children’s National Hospital has appointed Nikki Posnack, PhD, as the Foglia-Hills Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Research.

Dr. Posnack serves as a principal investigator for the Sheikh Zayed Institute of Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National. Her laboratory is part of both the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center and the Sheikh Zayed Institute.

The big picture

Dr. Posnack joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair. Children’s National is grateful to generous donors who have altogether funded 51 professorships.

Professorships support groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families and foster new discoveries and innovations in pediatric medicine. These appointments carry prestige and honor that reflect the recipient’s achievements and the donor’s commitment to advancing and sustaining knowledge.

Why it matters

Dr. Posnack’s research is transforming our understanding of pediatric cardiac health. She leads a multidisciplinary team conducting pioneering studies on cardiac electrophysiology, environmental exposures during heart surgery and personalized treatments for children. Notably, the team’s findings on plastic chemical exposure during cardiopulmonary bypass operations are influencing clinical care for young patients with congenital heart disease.

“I am deeply honored to be named Foglia-Hills Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Research,” Dr. Posnack says. “It is a powerful opportunity to amplify the mission of my lab: to help make cardiac care safer, less invasive and more effective for kids. The role will help accelerate discovery and bring meaningful innovations from the lab to bedside.”

Moving the field forward

Paul and Barbara Hills and Vincent and Patricia Foglia established this endowed professorship over a decade ago. Through their vision and generosity, they are ensuring that Dr. Posnack and future holders of this professorship will launch bold, new initiatives to rapidly advance the field of pediatric cardiac research, elevate our leadership and improve the lifetimes of children with special hearts.

“This professorship shows the incredible foresight of the Foglia and Hills families, who believe in driving progress through research,” says Wayne J. Franklin, MD, MBA, senior vice president of the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center. “Dr. Posnack is a true leader in the field, and this support will help her continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in caring for patients with heart disease.”

A presentation at at the 62nd Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meeting

Cardiac surgery team brings pediatric cardiac surgery innovation and research to STS Annual Meeting

March 11, 2026

The division of pediatric cardiac surgery at Children’s National Hospital had a record number of oral and poster presentations at the 62^nd Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meeting. The STS Annual Meeting is one of the most preeminent education events for both adult and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery.

Children’s National presentations:

Posters

Outcomes of Ross Procedure using Freestanding Technique versus Ross Inclusion Technique: A Single Surgeon Experience, Yves d’Udekem, MD, PhD
After the Lateral Tunnel Fontan, the Intra-atrial Channel Grows and Remains Pulsatile, Expanding in Systole, Muhammed Ikbal Aydin, MD
Tricuspid Valve Repair with Annular Base Patch Leaflet Augmentation in Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Muhammed Ikbal Aydin, MD
Recurrence Risk in Subaortic Stenosis: A Comparative Study of Primary and Secondary Lesions, Aybala Tongut, MD
Incomplete AVSD: Subtype-Specific Risk Factors and Outcomes Over Two Decades, Aybala Tongut, MD
Unroofing Versus Reimplantation Surgical Techniques for Anomalous Aortic Origin of Coronary Arteries Yield Similar Outcomes, Manan Desai, MD
Implementation of Elective Exit Angiography after Pediatric Repair of Anomalous Aortic Origin of the Coronary Artery, Manan Desai, MD

Oral abstracts

Longitudinal Assessment of Laryngeal Ultrasound for Vocal Fold Screening in Pediatrics Post Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lauren Praiss
Vocal Cord Palsy in Neonates and Infants after Cardiac Surgery Carries Significant Burden of Care, Aybala Tongut, MD
Relationship between Timing of Surgery and Procedure-Specific Outcomes in Neonatal Congenital Heart Surgery, Syed Bukhari, MD
Comparative Study of Long-term Outcomes in Infants Undergoing RVOT Reconstruction using Femoral Vein, Pulmonary and Aortic Homograft Conduits, Manan Desai, MD
Salvage Left Main Coronary Artery Reimplantation During Arterial Switch Operation, Muhammed Ikbal Aydin, MD

The society’s meeting theme, Teaching for Tomorrow Together, celebrated STS’s dedication to innovation, training the next generation and moving the specialty forward through collaboration and community. This theme aligns closely with the collaborative approach to clinical care, research and education embraced by the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center, leading to the launch of a pediatric cardiac research hub called the Heart Research Institute at Children’s National Hospital.

Redefining neurosurgery with BrainBot: MRI-compatible robot

March 10, 2026

What if neurosurgeons could complete brain procedures with real-time continuous visualization and submillimeter robotic precision entirely inside the MRI scanner? That is the vision behind BrainBot, a first-of-its-kind MRI-compatible robotic platform developed at the Children’s National Hospital Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation (SZI).

Designed specifically for image-guided, minimally invasive brain interventions, BrainBot addresses a longstanding limitation in the field: the absence of a fully robotic system capable of operating safely within the MRI environment.

Why BrainBot?

MRI imaging provides superior soft-tissue clarity and avoids ionizing radiation, a critical consideration in pediatric neurosurgery. Yet most stereotactic procedures still rely on manual frames, CT-based workflows or robotic systems that cannot function inside the MRI bore. These approaches often require moving patients between rooms, interrupting imaging continuity and prolonging anesthesia time.

MRI-compatible devices do exist, but they are manually adjusted and offer limited motion, making multi-target procedures such as epilepsy surgery inefficient and technically demanding.

“We identified a critical unmet need for a robotic platform that could operate entirely within the MRI scanner,” says Reza Monfaredi, PhD, principal investigator and lead inventor of BrainBot. In collaboration with co-leaders Chima Oluigbo, MD, neurosurgeon at Children’s National and clinical lead, and Kevin Cleary, PhD, associate director at SZI, the team set out to develop a system capable of delivering millimetric accuracy under continuous MRI guidance.

How does BrainBot move the field forward?

BrainBot is a fully robotic, scanner-agnostic system engineered for start-to-finish procedures inside the MRI suite. Its innovations include:

Real-time MRI guidance: Planning, targeting and confirmation occur without repositioning the patient.
Robotic system with four degrees of freedom: Allowing flexible, precise targeting across a spherical workspace.
Automatic needle driver with submillimeter accuracy: An air-powered automatic needle driver enables rotational and translational motion with approximately 0.5 mm precision under surgeon supervision.
Automatic path planning: Integrated proprietary software calculates optimal trajectories while accounting for vascular and eloquent structures.
Innovative custom 7-channel MRI head coil integration: Enhances image quality while maintaining robotic access, a capability not possible with standard diagnostic coils.
Modular head fixation system: Designed to accommodate patients across ages and anatomies while improving workflow efficiency.

Unlike existing systems that separate imaging and intervention, BrainBot unifies them into a single, continuous process. The platform is adaptable to brain biopsy, tumor ablation, epilepsy procedures, deep brain stimulation and precision drug delivery, with particular advantages in multi-target cases requiring numerous trajectories.

Backed by NIH support, advancing toward clinical translation

Supported by a $2 million NIH R01 grant in collaboration with Children’s National Research Institute and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the BrainBot team has achieved all major preclinical milestones. A renewal application is underway as the group prepares for first-in-human trials.

By integrating robotics, advanced imaging and automated planning into a single MRI-compatible platform, BrainBot represents a meaningful evolution in image-guided neurosurgery – one designed to enhance precision, reduce workflow inefficiencies and improve safety for patients of all ages.

The technical team from Children’s National includes Gang Li, PhD, Staff Scientist II, Atharva Paralikar, R&D Engineer I, Ayush Nankani, R&D Engineer II, Pavel Yarmolenko, PhD, Assistant Professor, and Nicholas Mouzakis, MRI Technologist. Subaward collaborators from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital are Chuck Dumoulin, PhD, and Wolfgang Loew.

Fueling pediatric breakthroughs through collaboration

March 2, 2026

Teams from HoloUS, CM-eX and Bearables were selected as winners.

At the latest research and innovation mixer hosted at Children’s National Hospital’s Research & Innovation Campus, the energy in the room felt more like a startup demo day than a hospital meeting. In tandem with the hospital’s Innovation Acceleration Network (IAN), an initiative designed to connect clinicians, researchers and engineers who might not otherwise collaborate, the mission of the event was to support pediatric innovators and accelerate early-stage technologies that often struggle to find funding or institutional backing.

Through small pilot awards and a pitch competition, funded by the Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation’s FDA P50 grant, innovators can receive between $20,000 and $50,000 to push their projects forward. Since its inception, more than 300 devices and concepts have moved through the initiative at various stages of development.

This year, six finalists represented a range of specialties that took the stage before a panel and audience, including engineers, researchers and director of the Fischell Institute of Biomedical Devices. Each presenter had a few minutes to make their case and take questions about their devices and market strategy. Projects pitched included:

Dr. Julia Finkel speaks to kick off the pitch competition at the Children’s National Research and Innovation campus on Thursday, February 19th, 2026

HoloUS, a device that projects live ultrasound images directly into a proceduralist’s line of sight. Rather than glancing back and forth between a patient and a screen, clinicians can see imaging data seamlessly integrated into their field of vision. Early clinical studies suggest the approach could improve speed, safety and ergonomics. Though competitors exist in the ultrasound visualization space, the HoloUS team emphasized what sets them apart: a simpler, broader visualization strategy designed specifically for procedural use. Still in the research phase, the device is already gaining traction.
OtoBud, a non-invasive intracranial pressure monitoring system. Monitoring brain pressure traditionally requires invasive procedures — something especially concerning in pediatric populations. Forearm fractures are among the most common injuries in children, yet determining the right treatment plan can be time-consuming and inconsistent. OtoBud aims to offer a low-burden, trendable alternative that requires minimal training while delivering meaningful clinical insights.
FFAIRS,the Forearm Fracture AI-Driven Recommendation System, a prototype designed specifically for pediatric patients. Unlike many competitors that focus primarily on diagnosis, FFAIRS concentrates on treatment recommendations. The tool is currently in development, and the team is applying for NIH STTR Phase II funding. Outpatient clinics, urgent care centers and primary care practices are among the intended users.
CM-eX, a tool that safely removes insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs). Long-term heart rhythm monitoring is critical for some pediatric patients, but no dedicated tool currently exists for efficient device extraction. CM-eX aims to reduce procedure time and tissue trauma. After testing synthetic skin analogues and progressing animal models, the team is working toward a safer, more streamlined approach.
Bearables, a tool that can secure gastrostomy tubes quickly and safely. The device can be applied in under five seconds and is manufactured in-house. The team is preparing for a pilot clinical study and plans to pursue FDA registration before bringing the product to market. Early trials have shown promising results.
A proposed device seeks to offer faster, more actionable data during cardiac arrest. Currently, no device provides near-continuous diastolic blood pressure readings during resuscitation. Existing tools can be slow, limiting clinicians’ ability to adjust care in real time.

Finalist teams share their solutions with judges and attendees before three projects were selected to receive pilot funding support.

At the end, three projects were selected as the winners: HoloUS, CM-eX and Bearables, each receiving $25K.

These are not abstract concepts or distant possibilities. They are emerging technologies born from clinicians at Children’s National who see daily challenges and refuse to accept the status quo.

Through the Innovation Acceleration Network, Children’s National is doing more than funding devices. It is building a collaborative culture where pediatric-specific innovation thrives — and where ideas designed for the smallest patients can make the biggest difference.

Children’s National announces Heart Research Institute, advancing pediatric cardiac research

February 26, 2026

The research institute aims to transform care and enhance long-term quality of life for children and adults with heart disease — from prenatal stages throughout their lives.

A new dedicated research arm within the Heart and Lung Center at Children’s National Hospital will supercharge efforts to improve the safety, effectiveness and accessibility of pediatric heart care locally, nationally and around the world. The initiative was made possible by over $12 million in philanthropic support for pediatric cardiac research.

“We care for the sickest children and the most complex cases here,” says Yves d’Udekem, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery at Children’s National and executive director of the Heart Research Institute. “Every challenge in the operating room pushes me back to the lab, to asking questions and finding new ideas that can make care better for children and families. The Heart Research Institute is a place where we can test new ideas, change practice and build new programs. Here, we will change our field. It is already happening.”

The research institute aims to transform care and enhance long-term quality of life for children and adults with heart disease — from prenatal stages throughout their lives. It will focus on five core pillars:

Transformative research to uncover the inner workings of heart disease and drive both earlier detection and better interventions for mothers and their babies.
Brain and mental health care investigations to support both maternal well-being and the developing brains of children with heart disease.
Studies to improve lifelong care for children with critical and chronic heart conditions.
Optimization of cutting-edge technology to improve short- and long-term outcomes.
Exploring evidence-based strategies to increase heart care accessibility so everyone gets the right care when they need it.

As an integral component within the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center, the Heart Research Institute’s focus on earlier detection, better treatments and wellness support for children and families facing heart conditions can, and will, be directly translated into research-backed, family-centered clinical practices.

“Research is the backbone of every medical breakthrough,” says Wayne J. Franklin, MD, MBA, senior vice president of the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center at Children’s National. “It drives us to refine and enhance our clinical practices, to deliver the best possible care for children and families and never settle for ‘good enough.’ Our dedicated focus on research and innovation through our Heart Research Institute will set new benchmarks in cardiovascular care.”

U.S. News & World Report voting

February 3, 2026

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.

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Voting for the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals rankings can be done only through Doximity.

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Once registered, users wishing to participate in the online survey should:

Watch for an email from Doximity about the annual member survey.
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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.

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In February 2026 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.
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3D modeling and virtual visualization takes cardiac surgery planning to the next level

January 12, 2026

Cardiac surgeons in the Children’s National benefit from 3D modeling for complex surgical planning and patient education.

‘Delicate’ and thoughtful approach to AVSD repair shows promise in 5-year review

December 31, 2025

Anatomically accurate, illustrated image of atrioventricular septal defect repair

Anatomically accurate, illustrated images like this one enhance the article’s explanation of specific AVSD techniques that improve outcomes.

A five-year retrospective study of 63 complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) repairs that applied a patience-filled, consistent and refined approach showed low operative mortality, reduced postoperative length of stay and low rates of readmission or reoperation at Children’s National Hospital. The approach, outlined by cardiac surgeon Aybala Tongut, MD and illustrated by medical illustrator Sofia Hanabergh, shows the artistry and technical expertise required for each patient’s unique anatomy.

Dr. Tongut writes, “Each repair is a quiet dialogue with the heart. Our role is to listen with our hands.”

What it means

“Despite the wealth of knowledge in cardiac surgery, reliable technique guidance for AVSD repair especially one that addresses tactile judgment and intraoperative variability — remains surprisingly scarce,” says Dr. Tongut in the article’s introduction. This manuscript aims to provide more detailed outlines and images that will allow other surgeons in the field to replicate the approach that applies through “delicate traction and thoughtful positioning.”

The procedure is a two-patch repair strategy emphasizing tactile feedback, valve-centric technique and “surgical humility.”

Since 2020, Children’s National cardiac surgeons performed 63 two-patch repairs. Operative mortality was 1.59%. Median postoperative length of stay among discharged patients was 10 days. Readmissions occurred in 12.7%, and reoperations in 6.3% of patients.

These outcomes show remarkable consistency for a procedure that is known for its inherently variable nature.

Children’s National leads the way

Cardiac surgeons at Children’s National are leaders in the field and constantly refining new approaches to improve outcomes for children with congenital heart disease. In addition to creating new approaches or perfecting existing ones, the team aims to disseminate evidence-based techniques as widely as possible so that every child with AVSD has the best possible chance to not only survive their congenital heart defect, but also potentially avoid additional procedures for as long as possible.

For AVSD, physicians and families should consider both short-term outcomes, as reflected in Dr. Tongut’s manuscript, but also be aware of the long-term outcomes for these repairs. Children’s National is one of the only children’s hospitals in the U.S. to publish long-term outcomes for some of the most common cardiovascular surgeries performed at the institution.

Read the article, A Surgeon’s Reflection on the Refined Two-Patch Technique for Complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect Repair, in the journal Operative Techniques in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

The best of 2025 from Innovation District

December 24, 2025

In 2025, Innovation District readers gravitated toward stories that explored how research and clinical innovation are reshaping pediatric care in real time. This year’s most popular articles highlighted advances in complex surgical care, evidence-based treatments for chronic and neuropsychiatric conditions and emerging technologies — from wearable data to artificial intelligence — that are changing how clinicians diagnose, treat and support children and families. Read on for our list of the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2025.

1. Life-changing care: How Children’s National tackles pediatric cervical spine injuries

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. “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.
(2 min. read)

2. Pioneering evidence-based treatments for substance addictions

Increasing evidence-based treatment is a key component of the Addictions Program at Children’s National Hospital, created in 2022 and led by Sivabalaji Kaliamurthy, MD. “We really want to focus on intervening in an evidence-based manner in the primary care setting because that is where most of our patients are going to first access care outside of the emergency room,” explains Dr. Kaliamurthy.
(3 min. read)

3. Breaking barriers in growth disorder treatment for families

For many children with short stature and other rare genetic growth disorders, there have been no next steps after usual treatment options prove ineffective. Researchers at Children’s National Hospital are digging deeper to find the root genetic causes of short stature disorders and creating novel, nuanced treatment options that have the opportunity to change how the field approaches these cases.
(4 min. read)

4. The link between metabolic acidosis and cardiovascular disease in children with CKD

Denver D. Brown, MD, nephrologist at Children’s National, is looking at whether untreated metabolic acidosis could potentially contribute to cardiovascular outcomes in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, she explains her motivation, findings and future directions for this critical research.
(3 min. read)

5. Therapy approach shows promise for PANS/PANDAS

A multidisciplinary therapy model developed at Children’s National shows promise for children with PANS and PANDAS, significantly reducing symptoms through structured cognitive-behavioral therapy and family-centered care. The approach could offer a new standard for treating these rare, complex neuropsychiatric disorders.
(2 min. read)

6. Wearable tech data shows promise in ADHD detection

A study from Children’s National reveals that common wearable devices like Fitbits may hold the key to improving how we identify Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescents. By analyzing patterns in heart rate, activity levels and energy expenditure, researchers were able to predict ADHD diagnoses with striking accuracy, offering a glimpse into a future where objective, real-time data supports earlier and more personalized mental healthcare.
(2 min. read)

7. Novel pediatric pacemaker shows safety, effectiveness for fragile infants in multi-center study

A novel implantable pacemaker designed specifically for infants has demonstrated safety and effectiveness in stabilizing heart rhythms for at least two years. The multi-center study of 29 infants showed stable pacing, normal electrical parameters and expected battery life, offering a viable alternative to standard-size devices for the smallest children.
(2 min. read)

8. Socioeconomic disadvantage associated with higher long-term mortality for children after heart surgery

Children who had heart surgery and come from less advantaged neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C., region are much more likely to die in the long term than those from neighborhoods with more wealth and opportunity. The finding was part of a presentation titled, Socioeconomic Disadvantage Is Associated with Higher Long-Term Mortality After Cardiac Surgery, by Jennifer Klein, MD, MPH, cardiologist at Children’s National Hospital, during the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.
(2 min. read)

9. Children’s National brings AI into the RHD early diagnosis equation

Experts from Children’s National traveled to Uganda to continue work on a pilot program applying artificial intelligence (AI) to the diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The team created a tool that uses AI to predict RHD by identifying leaky heart valves on handheld ultrasound devices, then prompts a referral for a full echocardiogram.
(2 min. read)

10. Fighting food insecurity with fresh produce and education

Food insecurity is rising in Washington, D.C. and it’s hitting families with children the hardest. That’s why Children’s National Hospital created the Family Lifestyle Program (FLiP) – a multi-layered intervention, which offers Patient Navigation (FLiP-PN) and a Produce Prescription Intervention (FLiPRx). FLiP is a Food Is Medicine, clinical-community initiative that helps families get access to fresh food, build healthy habits and lower their risk of diet-related diseases like diabetes and obesity.
(3 min. read)

Children’s National in the News: 2025

December 23, 2025

In 2025, Children’s National Hospital was featured in major national news outlets for pioneering advances in pediatric care, groundbreaking clinical research and powerful human stories of healing and hope. From gene therapy for sickle cell disease and innovative pacemakers for newborns to breakthrough transplants, cancer trials and emerging mental health concerns like AI psychosis, these stories highlight the hospital’s leadership across the full spectrum of pediatric medicine. The following ten highlights showcase the patients, families and experts behind this impact, as reported by outlets including NBC News, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, USA Today, Healio, ABC News and ESPN.

1. Gene therapy treatment gives new hope to sickle cell patients

Children’s National patient Wedam, 19, begins the first steps for intensive gene therapy for sickle cell disease, discussing his skepticism while his mother expresses her joy and gratitude for the treatment. (NBC News)

2. Little pacemakers ‘reliable’ in stabilizing newborns needing pacing

Charles Berul, MD, pediatric electrophysiologist and emeritus chief of Cardiology, discusses his study highlighting the safety and efficacy of an innovative smaller pacemaker designed for newborns with critical congenital heart disease. (Healio)

3. Why this clinical trial is offering some young cancer patients hope

Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, senior vice president and chief research officer, and the NexTGen team are poised to recruit patients for a new clinical trial that will take on an old, implacable foe: children’s solid tumors. (The Washington Post)

4. 11-year-old receives living donor heart valve to replace artificial one in breakthrough surgery

Yves d’Udekem, MD, PhD, chief of Cardiac Surgery, talked to Good Morning America about how an 11-year-old’s groundbreaking partial heart transplant will change his life and the lives of other children in need of valve replacements. (Good Morning America)

5. 9-year-old fights brain cancer with magic in her heart

The Lilabean Foundation along with Brian Rood, MD, medical director of the Brain Tumor Institute, talked about how patients like Kasey Zachman are the motivation behind finding a cure for brain cancer. (ABC News)

6. How Little League helps father-son duo recover from kidney transplant

USA Today Sports spoke with Gavin Brown and his parents, as well as Yi Shi, MD, a pediatric nephrologist at Children’s National Hospital, about their kidney transplant journey. (USA Today)

7. Jayden Daniels surprises Children’s National patient

After Jayden Daniels visited Commanders fan Sarah Addison at Children’s National Hospital while she was being treated for myeloid leukemia, they quickly became friends. (ESPN)

8. At D.C. children’s hospital, opera singers offer light, hope and healing

International opera stars performed for children, their families and employees at Children’s National Hospital. (The Washington Post)

9. ‘Gift of life:’ Tiny heart transplant saves life of Maryland baby

A baby boy in Maryland is back home after being given a second chance at life, just before his first birthday. The boy’s mother and his surgeon, Manan Desai, MD, share the remarkable story of a moment that changed all of their lives. (NBC4)

10. AI psychosis: Kids left delusional and paranoid over conversations with chatbots

Ashley Maxie-Moreman, PhD, clinical psychologist, spoke to ABC7 about what AI psychosis is and what parents need to know. (ABC7)

Anthony Sandler, MD, surgeon-in-chief, named honorary fellow of RCS England

December 1, 2025

Dr. Sandler gives remarks to graduating surgeon fellows at the RCS England’s Diplomate’s Ceremony.

Anthony Sandler, MD, senior vice president and surgeon-in-chief of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Center for Surgical Care at Children’s National Hospital, was awarded the title of honorary fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He also delivered an inspirational speech to the RCS England’s Diplomates Ceremony for graduating surgeon fellows. The remarks, focused on lessons he’s learned over the course of career so far, reminded the audience that surgeons have a great responsibility to remain curious about solving problems, but that curiosity and humility must walk hand-in-hand.

“Hold onto uncertainty,” he said. “It reminds you that even as our hands can heal, our hearts must always listen.”

What it means

The RCS England is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious training institutions for aspiring surgeons. The RCS England honorary fellowship is offered by special invitation to people whose extraordinary achievements have made a profound and lasting impact on the fields of surgery or medicine on an international level.

It highlights a surgeon’s exceptional professional service and is one of the highest accolades the college can bestow separate from standard progression through the RCS England itself.

Why it matters

“Every surgeon’s journey is essentially an odyssey, a lifelong pursuit of mastery, compassion and purpose,” Dr. Sandler told the graduating fellows. His own career exemplifies this perception. He is an accomplished thoracic and general pediatric surgeon with an active clinical practice who also leads a clinical center well-known for its ability to train the most successful pediatric general surgery fellows in the U.S. In addition to his surgical leadership, he has avidly pursued research in tumor immunology and tumor vaccine therapy, as well as the design and application of novel devices and technologies for surgical practice.

Dr. Sandler has served and chaired multiple committees for the American Pediatric Surgical Association and served for 10 years on the Board of Examiners for the Pediatric Surgery Qualifying examination. He has authored over 160 peer reviewed publications in clinical and scientific medical journals and is an NIH funded investigator.

He also directs the Sheik Zayed Institute for Surgical Innovation at Children’s National and is the Diane and Norman Bernstein Chair in Pediatric Surgery as well as a professor of surgery and pediatrics at George Washington University.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England

The RCS England is one of the oldest and most prestigious training institutions for aspiring surgeons in the world.

endoFLIP displayed esophagogastric junction

POEM shown as preferable first-line surgery for pediatric achalasia based on 10-year outcomes

November 5, 2025

The surgeons use EndoFLIP measurements and appearance before and after POEM to gauge procedure effectiveness.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a preferable first-line surgical intervention for pediatric esophageal achalasia, according to an analysis of 10-year outcomes for this procedure at Children’s National Hospital.

The single institution study evaluated clinical efficacy, safety, complications and durability of symptom relief based on data from 101 children who underwent 110 POEM procedures for achalasia from 2015 to 2025. The study group also included the largest cohort of children 10-years-old or younger who had this procedure ever reported in scientific literature.

Why it matters

Achalasia is a rare condition in adults and even less common in children, occurring in only 0.1 per 100,000 children annually and an estimated prevalence of 10 per 100,000. The rarity of achalasia in children has historically made collecting statistically significant evidence about how best to treat it difficult. However, as one of the first children’s hospitals in the country to offer POEM as the first-line treatment of these conditions in children, Children’s National has collected enough data in the last decade to conduct robust analysis for the first time.

Chief of General and Thoracic Surgery Mikael Petrosyan, MD, MBA, and his co-authors write, “Our results highlight the significant institutional adoption of this minimally invasive technique as a primary therapeutic intervention for achalasia in children. This aligns with previous pediatric studies documenting an increasing preference for POEM over traditional surgical interventions such as laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), owing to its favorable procedural attributes and comparable outcomes.”

Additionally, the authors note, “Our institutional preference toward POEM clearly reflects both the accumulated expertise and documented advantages of POEM, including shorter hospital stays, reduced postoperative discomfort and superior or equivalent symptomatic outcomes.”

The study includes outcomes for the largest number of children 10 years of age or younger to undergo POEM procedures, showing the procedure is feasible and becoming more accepted in younger and smaller-sized patients. The cohort of younger children is also noteworthy because it includes those with complex genetic conditions, including Down syndrome, Triple A syndrome, GMPPA-CDG, MIRAGE syndrome and Sotos syndrome.

The authors point out that the success of procedures for this subgroup “underscores the adaptability, broad applicability and robust safety profile” of POEM for these patients.

Children’s National leads the way

Children’s National is one of the only children’s hospitals in the country to offer POEM for treatment of these conditions in children. Dr. Petrosyan and Timothy Kane, MD, director of the Thoracic and Foregut Program, combined perform more POEM surgeries than any other pediatric surgeons in the United States.

As the program with the most experience caring for and collaborating with this unique patient population, the doctors emphasize that surgical procedures are only one part of the puzzle. They write, “Optimal management of pediatric achalasia involves a multidisciplinary approach tailored to each patient’s clinical scenario, with the goal to maximize symptom relief, minimize procedural complications and enhance long-term quality of life.”

Read the full study, Pediatric Achalasia and Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM): Ten-Year Outcomes for 101 Children at a Single Institution, in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.

BL-760 dye shows potential to decrease risk in laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure

October 31, 2025

Researchers at Children’s National Hospital recently conducted a study testing BL-760, a “near-infrared” fluorescent dye that makes bile ducts more visible during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or the removal of the gallbladder.

Building upon previous research by Richard Cha, PhD, and the Vision and Robotics Laboratory at the Sheikh Zayed Institute of Pediatric Surgical Innovation, the study shows the potential for BL-760 to be a viable tool for eliminating common mistakes in laparoscopic cholecystectomy and brings it one step closer to entering clinical trials.

The big picture

Over the course of the pre-clinical study, four total surgeries were successfully conducted with BL-760 guidance, the first two to clip specific ducts in the biliary tree and the second set to remove the gallbladder.

BL-760 dye glows under near infrared light allowing for a more specific identification of the bile ducts. During the surgeries, researchers were able to measure how well the BL-760 dye highlighted the bile ducts using target-to-background ratios (TBRs) — or comparing how bright the ducts appeared compared to the surrounding liver tissue.

The TBR in the initial surgeries were 2.42 and 3.22, with the TBR in the last surgeries at 2.83 and 2.60, all desirable and expected results by the team of researchers.

Moving the field forward

Today, Indocyanine green (ICG) dye is most commonly used during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, however, it is far from perfect. Often ICG takes longer to highlight the bile ducts, which is still suboptimal to minimize bile duct injury (BDI).

As the only biliary specific dye for use in the biliary tree, BL-760 has proven to be a more reliable tool, with faster development times and higher specificity of the biliary tree. This tool can help surgeons avoid damaging complications and save patients significant morbidity.

Children’s National is proud to contribute to this important work, advancing innovations that improve patient outcomes and reduce medical risks.

Read the full study, “A novel biliary-specific near-infrared fluorescent dye (BL-760) enhances visualization of the biliary tree in a swine inflammatory model of bile duct obstruction,” in Surgical Endoscopy.

Authors of the study from Children’s National include Alex Halpern, MD, Anthony D. Sandler, MD, Bo Ning, PhD, and Richard Cha, PhD.

Marius George Linguraru honored as MICCAI Fellow and celebrates a landmark year for medical imaging innovation

October 29, 2025

Dr. Marius George Linguraru, a global leader in pediatric imaging and AI, has been named a 2025 MICCAI Fellow for advancing quantitative imaging biomarkers and championing equitable AI in children’s health.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how doctors diagnose, monitor and treat disease. At this year’s conference of the Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI) Society in Daejeon, South Korea, more than 3,300 scientists, engineers and clinicians from around the world gathered to explore that transformation firsthand. Among them was Marius George Linguraru, DPhil, MA, MS, the Connor Family Professor of Research and Innovation at Children’s National Hospital and a global leader in pediatric imaging and AI research, who was officially named a 2025 Fellow of the MICCAI Society.

The fellowship recognizes Dr. Linguraru for his “distinguished contributions to medical image computing, particularly in the development of quantitative imaging biomarkers for pediatric and rare diseases.”

The big picture

The MICCAI Society is the world’s leading organization for medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention. Each year, it recognizes researchers who have shaped the field through scientific excellence, mentorship and community leadership. Dr. Linguraru shares this year’s honor with Carl-Fredrik Westin of Harvard Medical School and Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer of the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In addition to receiving the fellowship, Dr. Linguraru currently serves as president of the MICCAI Society, helping to guide its global community through a new era of AI-driven discovery.

“The wellbeing of children is a core value of any society, and I believe AI is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve healthcare for all,” said Dr. Linguraru. “I stand firmly as an advocate for equitable imaging and AI, a mentor and a researcher devoted to children’s health. These values are at the heart of the MICCAI Society, my global family pushing the frontiers of science and healthcare.”

The backdrop

At the 2025 MICCAI conference in Daejeon, more than 3,300 participants came together to celebrate science, collaboration and culture. The meeting showcased the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and machine learning for healthcare, including deep-learning approaches to imaging, robotics and clinical decision support.

Dr. Linguraru highlighted the growing momentum toward translating AI methods into clinical practice, as well as new partnerships with the European Society of Radiology and the European Society of Digital and Integrative Pathology that will strengthen the field’s impact.

The society also introduced new awards and grants focused on innovation, health equity and inclusivity, priorities that align closely with Dr. Linguraru’s own career-long mission to bring AI tools to children with rare diseases and limited access to care.

The bottom line

Dr. Linguraru’s installation as a MICCAI Fellow marks a defining moment for both his career and the society he now leads. It celebrates two decades of pioneering research in pediatric imaging and AI, mentorship across continents and a deep belief that technology should serve every child, everywhere.

As the MICCAI community looks ahead to Abu Dhabi in 2026 and Auckland in 2027, Dr. Linguraru’s leadership will help guide the field toward a future where imaging science, artificial intelligence and compassion work hand in hand to advance global health.

Podcast: Moving Parts: Collaboration and Engineering in Pediatric Orthopaedics

October 29, 2025

Patients, families at the core of achalasia awareness and care

October 10, 2025

Children at the the second annual Achalasia Awareness Night

Children and young adults with achalasia, and their families, attended the second annual Achalasia Awareness Night at Children’s National Hospital, hosted by the pediatric surgery team.

More than 30 patients and their families recently attended Achalasia Awareness Night at Children’s National Hospital, a moving and empowering event led by Mikael Petrosyan, MD, MBA, and Timothy Kane, MD, with the dedicated support of the entire surgical team — including Jill Rafie, Segale Cephas and Rebecca Chavez.

“We are steadfast in our mission to provide not only world-class surgical care but also a strong network of support for families navigating achalasia,” Dr. Petrosyan said. “This event continues to set new standards for what is possible when patients, families and providers come together — united by compassion, collaboration and the shared goal of improving lives.”

What it means

The overwhelming turnout highlighted the importance of creating spaces where families can connect, learn and inspire one another. Smiles, tears and words of gratitude filled the evening, underscoring just how meaningful the gathering was for patients, families and providers alike.

The program featured insights from the expert surgical team at Children’s National, who discussed the latest treatment options, innovative techniques and supportive resources available. The care team’s message was clear: no family walks this path alone, and cutting-edge solutions are being developed and delivered every day at the hospital.

More than education

This is the second year for this event that began as an annual educational program but has quickly blossomed into something much greater — a celebration of resilience and the power of community. Families gather in an atmosphere of warmth and understanding, sharing stories, struggles and victories. For many, this event is the first opportunity for them to meet others who truly understand their journey with pediatric achalasia. The connections create an invaluable sense of unity and belonging.

The parent and patient panel, where families courageously share their experiences — the uncertainty of diagnosis, the daily challenges of living with achalasia and the transformative impact of surgical care, was especially impactful according to attendees.

The enthusiasm of the attendees highlights the importance of creating spaces where families can connect, learn and inspire one another.

Why it matters

Achalasia is a rare condition in adults (1/100,000) and even less common in children, occurring in only 0.1 per 100,000 patients with an estimated prevalence of 10 per 100,000. The rarity of achalasia in children compared with adults makes collecting enough statistically significant evidence about how best to treat them difficult, more so than for other more common pediatric surgical conditions.

Children’s National Hospital once again ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report

October 7, 2025

Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the ninth 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 fifteenth straight year, Children’s National ranked in 10 specialty services and is the highest U.S. News ranked children’s hospital in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Last year, U.S. News introduced pediatric & adolescent behavioral health as a service line in its rankings. While there are no ordinal rankings for behavioral health, the Children’s National program was named one of the top 50 programs in the country for the second year in a row.

“To be named among the nation’s top children’s hospitals for nine years in a row is a reflection of the extraordinary expertise, innovation and heart that our teams bring to every child and family we serve,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “Our leadership in specialties like neurology, cancer, and diabetes and endocrinology underscores the national impact of our work, and we remain focused on setting new standards in pediatric 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.

“Being a top-ranked pediatric hospital means more than just excelling in a single specialty — it means being a pillar of outstanding care for your entire region,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “Our rankings acknowledge these hospitals for their comprehensive excellence, helping families find the very best care conveniently located within their state and community.”

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:

Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 4), led by Division Chiefs William D. Gaillard, MD, and Robert F. Keating, MD
Diabetes and Endocrinology (No. 6), led by Division Chief Andrew Dauber, MD, MMSc
Cancer (No. 8), led by Division Chief Eugene Hwang, MD
Nephrology (No. 10), led by Division Chief Marva Moxey-Mims, MD
Orthopedics (No. 10), led by Division Chief Matthew Oetgen, MD, MBA

The other six specialties ranked among the top 50 are Behavioral Health, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology and GI Surgery, Neonatology, Pulmonology and Lung Surgery, and Urology.

Podcast: Cutting Edge: Precision and Progress in Pediatric Surgery

August 28, 2025

Successful leiomyoma removal with STER shows promise for future cases

August 19, 2025

The procedure was successfully performed by team in the Esophageal and Thoracic Surgery Program at Children’s National, including Timothy Kane, MD, and Mikael Petrosyan, MD, MBA, who co-authored a case study.

Pediatric surgeons at Children’s National Hospital successfully removed a pediatric esophageal leiomyoma, a rare, benign tumor of the esophagus, through minimally invasive submucosal tunneling and endoscopic resection (STER) rather than the standard of care endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) technique that has traditionally had higher complication rates.

The procedure was successfully performed by team in the Esophageal and Thoracic Surgery Program at Children’s National, including Mikael Petrosyan, MD, MBA, and Timothy Kane, MD, who co-authored a case study, Submucosal Tunneling and Endoscopic Resection of an Esophageal Leiomyoma in a 13‑Year‑Old Male, in the Annals of Surgical Oncology about the case.

What it means

A 13-year-old male presented with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and frequent abdominal pain and was diagnosed with a 2-cm distal esophageal mass. The team completed full resection of the mass with no complications. At 1-year post-surgery, the patient continued to show no signs of dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux, or chest pain.

In the case study, the authors write that the successful application of STER “represents a valuable advancement in the endoscopic management of submucosal tumors (SMTs), offering a less invasive and potentially safer approach for tumor removal.”

They assert that while ESD, the current most common approach, also involves removing lesions endoscopically, “ESD involves direct dissection of the lesion, potentially leading to larger mucosal defects and increased risk of complications. STER, with its tunnel approach, maintains mucosal integrity, potentially leading to better outcomes.”

Children’s National leads the way

The Esophageal and Thoracic Surgery Program at Children’s National is a national leader in pioneering more precise and less invasive procedures for children who have diseases and disorders of the lungs, mediastinum and esophagus.

For example, Children’s National performs more peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) procedures as a primary intervention for children with esophageal achalasia and pediatric gastroparesis than any other hospital in the United States.

Minimally invasive procedures for children with these conditions are particularly challenging due to a child’s small anatomy and a lack of right-sized surgical tools. The application of endoscopic procedures such as STER and POEM offer fewer risks of complications and faster recovery times than the current standard approaches for children. Though many of these procedures are readily available for adults, applying them in pediatrics requires technical skill and expertise not available everywhere.

Read the case study, “Submucosal Tunneling and Endoscopic Resection of an Esophageal Leiomyoma in a 13‑Year‑Old Male, in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.

Caring for the senses to support children’s development

July 2, 2025

Diego Preciado, MD, PhD, examines a patient.

Hear, smell, taste. These senses impact and shape children’s everyday lives. Diego Preciado, MD, PhD, chief of Otolaryngology and Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology, aims to set the gold standard for care of a child’s ear, nose and throat (ENT) — pathways to the senses. “We treat the senses that drive an individual’s personality,” he says. “ENT care has seen wonderful advances in the last 30 years, but there is still more work to do. That’s why I entered the field.”

Dr. Preciado is an innovator. His team, at the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, helped to advance early detection and treatment of otolaryngology disorders, such as hearing loss, the most common sensory impairment in children. Four in every 1,000 infants are born with it.

In the laboratory, the team uncovered fundamental molecular aspects of chronic ear disease. This led to the development of new medications aimed at reducing the need for surgery. The team and collaborators are developing a drug delivery method, using liposomal nanoparticles — spherical vesicles that are insoluble in water — to carry treatments directly into the ear canal. It could potentially eliminate the need for oral antibiotics and surgery in children with recurrent ear infections. The team also developed an app to guide patients through critical aspects of ENT care. It will help kids with hearing impairments in language development after cochlear implantation.

“At Children’s National,” says Dr. Preciado, “the future is all about helping children get better faster.”

Dr. Preciado’s team works across the hospital and with parent groups in our community to remove barriers to ENT care. “All care is not equal,” he says. “Sadly, families with public or no health insurance typically only receive care at a much later date. This delay often permanently impacts their children’s hearing, speech and social skills.”

Currently in development is a medical and educational intervention model for patients with complex ENT needs. It includes expanding critical wraparound services and creating new care solutions. The focus is precision medicine and personalized therapies. Continuing refinement of our fellowship program to train pediatric otolaryngologists is helping to build a strong workforce for the future.

“Real change can happen only by adopting a team approach to care. An effective leader must be an equal member of the team and lead by example. Children’s National is committed to this approach and ensuring that everyone receives expert care in the same manner.”