Patient Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Symptomatic Catheter-Related Arterial Thrombosis in Infants: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and adverse events of treatment for symptomatic infant catheter-related arterial thrombosis.

Study Design: Single-center retrospective medical record review of 99 infants (age <365 days) with catheter-related arterial thrombosis, either following indwelling arterial catheter placement or cardiac catheterization, who were treated with anticoagulation over an 8-year span at a pediatric tertiary care center. Outcomes measured include thrombosis progression, bleeding events, and thrombus resolution following the treatment period.

Using Quality Improvement Methods to Implement an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Supported Individualized Home Pain Management Plan for Children with Sickle Cell Disease.

Objective: Using quality improvement methodology, our goal was to develop and implement individualized home pain management plans (HPMP) that included pharmacologic as well as non-pharmacologic strategies for children with sickle cell disease (SCD). We hypothesized that successfully implemented HPMPs would have an impact on Emergency Department (ED) use, decreasing ED visits for uncomplicated SCD pain episodes.

Methods: A multidisciplinary quality improvement team developed a questionnaire to assess the frequency, location and severity of a patient's pain during a routine, comprehensive visit in order to help the patient and family develop an effective pain management strategy using both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic actions.