Females Have Earlier Muscle Strength and Functional Recovery After Bridge-Enhanced Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair.

While a sex effect on outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery has been previously documented, less is known following bridge-enhanced ACL repair (BEAR). We hypothesized that female sex would have significantly worse early functional outcomes and higher retear rates following primary repair of the ACL enhanced with a tissue-engineered scaffold. Sixty-five patients (28 males and 37 females), age 14-35 with a complete ACL tear underwent primary repair of the ACL enhanced with a tissue-engineered scaffold (bridge-enhanced ACL repair) within 45 days of injury.

A Genetics Learning Program for Nurses Caring for Children Treated With Ex Vivo Autologous Gene Therapy.

As our growing knowledge of genetics and genomics continues to inform, change, and customize health care, an understanding of genetics and genomics is now central to up-to-date and proficient nursing practice. There is a growing need for relevant nursing educational programs that aid practicing nurses in securing genetics/genomics knowledge and an understanding of gene therapy. This article describes a day-long, evidence-based, hands-on genetics learning program developed specifically for practicing nurses caring for children enrolled in ex vivo gene therapy clinical trials.

Navigating Communication Challenges in Clinical Practice: A New Approach to Team Education.

Background: Cultivating a healthy work environment and upholding patient safety are important priorities in health care. Challenges in workplace communication are common and affect staff well-being and patient outcomes. Previous interventions have focused on organizational issues and work-life balance.

Aspirin unresponsiveness predicts thrombosis in high-risk pediatric patients after cardiac surgery.

Objective: Thrombosis occurs in up to 26% of patients with congenital heart disease after cardiac surgery and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Aspirin is commonly administered to reduce the risk of thrombosis, yet aspirin responsiveness is rarely assessed. In this study, we hypothesize that inadequate response to aspirin is associated with increased risk of thrombosis after selected congenital cardiac procedures considered to be high risk for thrombosis.

Variation in feeding practices following the Norwood procedure.

Objectives: To assess variation in feeding practice at hospital discharge after the Norwood procedure, factors associated with tube feeding, and associations among site, feeding mode, and growth before stage II.

Study Design: From May 2005 to July 2008, 555 subjects from 15 centers were enrolled in the Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial; 432 survivors with feeding data at hospital discharge after the Norwood procedure were analyzed.

Results: Demographic and clinical variables were compared among 4 feeding modes: oral only (n = 140), oral/tube (n = 195), nasogastric tube (N-tube) only (n = 40), and gastrostomy tube (G-tube) only (n = 57).

Parent presence during invasive procedures and resuscitation: evaluating a clinical practice change.

Rationale: Parent presence during invasive procedures and/or resuscitation is a relatively underdeveloped and controversial practice. Much of the concern stems from the apprehension of the medical community.

Objectives: To evaluate whether implementation of formal practice guidelines and corresponding interprofessional education would improve clinicians' sense of preparation and comfort in providing parents with options during their children's procedures.

Brain volume and metabolism in fetuses with congenital heart disease: evaluation with quantitative magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.

Background: Adverse neurodevelopmental outcome is an important source of morbidity in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). A significant proportion of newborns with complex CHD have abnormalities of brain size, structure, or function, which suggests that antenatal factors may contribute to childhood neurodevelopmental morbidity.

Methods And Results: Brain volume and metabolism were compared prospectively between 55 fetuses with CHD and 50 normal fetuses with the use of 3-dimensinal volumetric magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.