Use of Etomidate for Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) in Pediatric Trauma Patients: An Exploratory National Survey.

, To survey the pediatric trauma programs to ascertain if and how etomidate is being used for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in pediatric trauma patients. , A 25 question survey was created using REDCaps. A link to the survey was emailed to each of the pediatric and adult trauma programs that care for pediatric patients.

Vacuum-assisted closure: a novel method of managing surgical necrotizing enterocolitis.

Purpose: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) requiring surgical intervention is associated with mortality rates approaching 50%. We evaluated outcomes of patients that underwent surgical treatment for NEC with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) of the abdomen as compared with traditional laparotomy, bowel resection, and ostomy creation.

Methods: A retrospective review identified 26 patients from 2007 to 2012 with NEC.

Are general surgeons behind the curve when it comes to disaster preparedness training? A survey of general surgery and emergency medicine trainees in the United States by the Eastern Association for the Surgery for Trauma Committee on Disaster Preparedness.

Purpose: We think that general surgeons are underprepared to respond to mass casualty disasters. Preparedness education is required in emergency medicine (EM) residencies, yet such requirements are not mandated for general surgery (GS) training programs. We hypothesize that EM residents receive more training, consider themselves better prepared, and are more comfortable responding to disaster events than are GS residents.

Vacuum-assisted closure in the treatment of extensive lymphangiomas in children.

Background: The management of lymphangiomas in children is a complex problem with frequent recurrence and infection. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) devices have been shown to accelerate the healing of open wounds. We hypothesized that VAC therapy might decrease complications after resection of lymphangiomas.

Single-incision thoracoscopic surgery in children: equivalent results with fewer scars when compared with traditional multiple-incision thoracoscopy.

Background: Single-incision pediatric endosurgery is gaining popularity, especially for abdominal operations. Several reports in the literature support the feasibility of the single-incision approach in pediatric laparoscopy. Here we compare our experience with single-incision thoracoscopic surgery (SITS) to traditional multiple-incision video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in children.

Prophylactic antibiotics do not decrease the incidence of wound infections after laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.

Purpose: Although laparoscopic pyloromyotomy is considered to be a clean case, many surgeons administer prophylactic preoperative antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of prophylactic antibiotics on the wound infection rate after laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients who underwent laparoscopic pyloromyotomy at our institution between August 2002 and December 2009.

Early experience with single-incision thoracoscopic surgery in the pediatric population.

Introduction: Single-incision pediatric endosurgery is gaining popularity in children. We have recently applied the single-incision approach for thoracoscopic procedures. We report our initial experience with single-incision thoracoscopic surgery in the pediatric population.