Prognostic and Diagnostic Utility of Serum Biomarkers in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a major cause of morbidity and death among the pediatric population. Timely diagnosis, however, remains a complex task because of the lack of standardized methods that permit its accurate identification. The aim of this study was to determine whether serum levels of brain injury biomarkers can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in this pathology.

Impact of Low-Dose Computed Tomography and Physician Education on Referral for Head Shape.

Imaging before specialist evaluation of abnormal head shape is associated with a delay in evaluation and an increase in radiation exposure. A retrospective cohort study was performed to identify referral patterns before and after the implementation of a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) protocol and physician education to examine the intervention's impact on time to evaluation and radiation exposure. Six hundred sixty-nine patients with an abnormal head shape diagnosis at a single academic medical center between July 1, 2014 and December 1, 2019 were reviewed.

Ventriculo-inferior-venacaval shunt salvage via endovascular surgery.

Introduction: Hydrocephalus treatment can be very challenging. While some hydrocephalic patients can be treated endoscopically, many will require ventricular shunting. Frequent shunt issues over a lifetime is not uncommon.

Considerations for Choice of Cranioplasty Material for Pediatric Patients.

Introduction: Optimal material and timing of cranioplasty in the pediatric population continue to be debated. Autologous and alloplastic materials have various indications for use and risk factors for complications.

Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was undertaken of all pediatric patients who underwent cranioplasty with any material from 1991-2021.

The current landscape of immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors.

Pediatric central nervous system tumors are the most common solid malignancies in childhood, and aggressive therapy often leads to long-term sequelae in survivors, making these tumors challenging to treat. Immunotherapy has revolutionized prospects for many cancer types in adults, but the intrinsic complexity of treating pediatric patients and the scarcity of clinical studies of children to inform effective approaches have hampered the development of effective immunotherapies in pediatric settings. Here, we review recent advances and ongoing challenges in pediatric brain cancer immunotherapy, as well as considerations for efficient clinical translation of efficacious immunotherapies into pediatric settings.