Advanced diffusion imaging for assessing normal white matter development in neonates and characterizing aberrant development in congenital heart disease.

Background: Elucidating developmental trajectories of white matter (WM) microstructure is critically important for understanding normal development and regional vulnerabilities in several brain disorders. Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) is currently the method of choice for in-vivo white matter assessment. A majority of neonatal studies use the standard Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) model although more advanced models such as the Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI) model and the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) have been used in adult population.

Diagnosis of inadvertent cannulation of the azygos vein during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass demands diligence and attention to detail to prevent neurologic injury. Arterial and venous cannulae are used to facilitate cardiopulmonary bypass. The assessment of adequate decompression of the venous circulation is an essential duty of the cardiac surgical team.

Use of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit as a bridge to salvage a major upper-extremity replant in a critically ill patient.

Major replantation of the upper extremity is defined as replantation at or above the level of the wrist. Selection of appropriate candidates is complex and requires consideration of many patient- and injury-associated factors including patient age, associated injuries, patient desire, mechanism of injury, ischemia time, wound condition, and presence of multiple-level injury. With respect to age, younger patients, especially children, are deemed to have a distinct advantage over more elderly patients due to improved nerve regeneration, and many advocate making every effort to replant this population.