Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula: Overview and Considerations for the General Surgeon.

Esophageal atresia (EA) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is among the most common congenital anomalies requiring surgical intervention in infancy. General surgeons practicing in rural or austere environments may encounter emergency situations requiring their involvement. Respiratory emergencies can arise in the neonatal period; the recommended approaches are the ligation of the fistula through the chest or occlusion of the distal esophagus through the abdomen.

Non-Radiographic Severity Measurement of Pectus Excavatum.

Background: To avoid the radiation exposure of CT imaging and the expense of CT or MRI studies, we sought to develop a non-radiographic severity measurement of pectus excavatum based on 3D photogrammetric imaging.

Methods: Over 28 mo, ten consecutive patient volunteers with pectus excavatum underwent 3D stereophotogrammetric imaging. The surface width to surface depth ratio (Surface Lengths Pectus Index), the chest deformity's surface area to total chest surface area (Pectus Surface Area Ratio), and the chest deformity's volume to total chest volume (Pectus Volume Ratio) were calculated.

Cold atmospheric plasma for the ablative treatment of neuroblastoma.

Background: Recent breakthroughs have allowed for production of plasma at room temperature. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) may offer the capability of delivering reactive oxygen species directly into tissues, representing a novel modality for targeted cancer therapy. We studied helium-based CAP's effect on neuroblastoma, both in-vitro and in an in-vivo murine model.

Haitian earthquake relief: disaster response aboard the USNS comfort.

Objective: The Haitian earthquake of January 12, 2010, was a disaster essentially unprecedented in the Western Hemisphere's recorded history. The USNS Comfort departed from Baltimore, Maryland, within 72 hours of the earthquake and arrived in Port-au-Prince harbor on January 19. During the subsequent 40 days, the ship provided one of the largest relief efforts in the US Navy's history.

Continuing promise 2009--assessment of a recent pediatric surgical humanitarian mission.

Purpose: Surgical organizations have begun to focus their efforts on providing humanitarian assistance in international communities. Most surgeons do not have previous international experience and lack an understanding of what is expected and what care they can provide. The unknown factors include case types, patient volume, postoperative care, and equipment.

T-cell activation is enhanced by targeting IL-10 cytokine production in toll-like receptor-stimulated macrophages.

Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists represent potentially useful cancer vaccine adjuvants in their ability to stimulate antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and subsequently amplify the cytotoxic T-cell response. The purpose of this study was to characterize APC responses to TLR activation and to determine the subsequent effect on lymphocyte activation. We exposed murine primary bone marrow-derived macrophages to increasing concentrations of agonists to TLRs 2, 3, 4, and 9.

Three phases of disaster relief in Haiti--pediatric surgical care on board the United States Naval Ship Comfort.

Background: On January 12, 2010, Haiti experienced the western hemisphere's worst-ever natural disaster. Within 24 hours, the United States Naval Ship Comfort received orders to respond, and a group of more than 500 physicians, nurses, and staff undertook the largest and most rapid triage and treatment since the inception of hospital ships.

Methods: These data represent pediatric surgical patients treated aboard the United States Naval Ship Comfort between January 19 and February 27, 2010.