Towards a Risk-Based Follow-Up Surveillance Imaging Schedule for Children and Adolescents with Low-Grade Glioma.

The frequency and duration of imaging surveillance in children and adolescents with pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) aims for the early detection of recurrence or progression. Although surveillance of pLGGs is performed routinely, it is not yet standardized. The aim of the current review is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of published studies regarding the optimal frequency, intervals, and duration of surveillance.

Early Open Extensive Suturectomy for the Severe Multisuture Synostosis.

Neonates born with severe multisuture synostosis can present as an emergency. The severe craniocerebral disproportion with or without underlying hydrocephalus and retruded midface can result in raised intracranial pressure and airway compromise within the first few days or weeks of life. This presents a challenging multidisciplinary condition.

Target Product Profile for a Machine Learning-Automated Retinal Imaging Analysis Software for Use in English Diabetic Eye Screening: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Diabetic eye screening (DES) represents a significant opportunity for the application of machine learning (ML) technologies, which may improve clinical and service outcomes. However, successful integration of ML into DES requires careful product development, evaluation, and implementation. Target product profiles (TPPs) summarize the requirements necessary for successful implementation so these can guide product development and evaluation.

Cochleovestibular Phenotype in a Rare Genetic MED13L Mutation.

The gene MED13 participates in transcription. The MED13L gene is a paralog of MED13 that is involved in developmental gene expression. Mutations in the gene have been shown to result in a heterogenous phenotype affecting several physiological systems.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Maternal Vaccination in Infants below 6 Months of Age: Meta-Analysis of Safety, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy.

Introduction: Severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease is most prevalent during infancy, particularly in those born prematurely, who benefit least from maternal antibody transfers. Maternal immunization is an attractive prevention leading to vaccine clinical trials. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate recent maternal RSV vaccine trials.

Patellar tendon shortening surgery restores the knee extensor mechanism in flexed knee gait in children with cerebral palsy.

Background: This study evaluated a patellar tendon shortening (PTS) surgical procedure that uses an overlapping repair combined with an additional Tycron non-absorbable suture to support the shortening in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). This study aimed to outline this surgical technique and to evaluate its effectiveness in restoring the knee extensor mechanism.

Methods: The sagittal plane lower limb kinematics, peak knee extensor moment, gait deviation index (GDI), localised movement deviation profile (MDP), temporospatial parameters, passive knee extension ROM, quadriceps lag, and knee extensor strength were calculated pre- and postoperatively.

Assessing the health needs of children and young people accessing paediatric hospital services: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Health needs are issues that face a population or specific groups, which can benefit from healthcare and wider social and environmental changes. They are inextricably linked to health inequalities, which are largely determined by non-health-related factors such as socioeconomic deprivation or belonging to ethnic minority groups. The hospital-accessing paediatric population, with higher rates of morbidity and mortality, are likely to have higher levels of met and unmet health needs related to social determinants, compared with their peers.

The effectiveness and acceptability of multimedia information when recruiting children and young people to trials: the TRECA meta-analysis of SWATs.

Background: The information provided to potential trial participants plays a crucial role in their decision-making. Printed participant information sheets for trials have received recurrent criticism as being too long and technical, unappealing and hard to navigate. An alternative is to provide information through multimedia (text, animations, video, audio, diagrams and photos).

Para-infectious brain injury in COVID-19 persists at follow-up despite attenuated cytokine and autoantibody responses.

To understand neurological complications of COVID-19 better both acutely and for recovery, we measured markers of brain injury, inflammatory mediators, and autoantibodies in 203 hospitalised participants; 111 with acute sera (1-11 days post-admission) and 92 convalescent sera (56 with COVID-19-associated neurological diagnoses). Here we show that compared to 60 uninfected controls, tTau, GFAP, NfL, and UCH-L1 are increased with COVID-19 infection at acute timepoints and NfL and GFAP are significantly higher in participants with neurological complications. Inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-12p40, HGF, M-CSF, CCL2, and IL-1RA) are associated with both altered consciousness and markers of brain injury.

Acute pancreatitis in childhood - a comparative international study and tale of two cities.

Backgrounds: To compare factor(s) contributing to aetiology, management and clinical outcome(s) of paediatric patients acquiring acute pancreatitis (AP) at two major university paediatric surgical centres in Liverpool and Bangkok.

Methods: All patients (<18 years) with an index diagnosis of AP (ICD 10 coding) during 2006-2016 were studied.

Results: 121 patients included n = 79 (65.

Specialist healthcare services for concussion/mild traumatic brain injury in England: a consensus statement using modified Delphi methodology.

Objective: To establish a consensus on the structure and process of healthcare services for patients with concussion in England to facilitate better healthcare quality and patient outcome.

Design: This consensus study followed the modified Delphi methodology with five phases: participant identification, item development, two rounds of voting and a meeting to finalise the consensus statements. The predefined threshold for agreement was set at ≥70%.

The wider health and wellbeing needs of those accessing paediatric care in England: engaging with the hidden voices of children and young people.

Background: Health need is inextricably linked with inequalities. Health outcomes are worse for those in lower socio-economic groups, ethnic minority groups, and those with protected characteristics. In the UK, this has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

A consensus process to identify research priorities in paediatric urology in the United Kingdom.

Introduction: Paediatric urologists manage a spectrum of conditions, much of the evidence for relevant treatment pathways is of low quality. For many conditions treatment varies according to location and surgeon; children with the same condition might have surgery in one unit but watchful waiting in another. Underlying this variation are differences in opinion, and insufficient high-level evidence with few prospective randomized studies.

A tailored approach to the management of post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

Purpose: Neuro-endoscopic lavage (NEL) is an increasingly popular intervention for intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH), with considerable variation in technique dependent on clinician and clinical circumstances. Whilst efforts to standardise the technique are ongoing, this work describes a tertiary centre experience utilising NEL, highlighting potential caveats to standardisation.

Methods: A retrospective review of electronic case notes for patients undergoing temporising surgical intervention for IVH between 2012 and 2021 at our centre was performed.

Hydrocephalus in prematurity: does valve choice make a difference?

Purpose: Extremely premature neonates diagnosed with post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) are recognised to have particularly poor outcomes. This study assessed the impact of a number of variables on outcomes in this cohort, in particular the choice of shunt valve mechanism.

Methods: Electronic case notes were retrospectively reviewed of all premature neonates admitted to our centre for management of hydrocephalus between 2012 and 2021.

X-Linked Gusher Disease DFNX2 in Children, a Rare Inner Ear Dysplasia with Mixed Hearing and Vestibular Loss.

Conductive hearing losses are typically present in disorders of the external/middle ear. However, there is a rare group of inner ear conditions called third windows that can also generate a conductive hearing loss. This is due to an abnormal connection between the middle and the inner ear or between the inner ear and the cranial cavity.

Intracranial Empyemas in the COVID-19 Era: A New Phenomenon? A Paediatric Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Introduction: We present the largest series of paediatric intracranial empyemas occurring after COVID-19 infection to date, and discuss the potential implications of the pandemic on this neurosurgical pathology.

Methods: Patients admitted to our centre between January 2016 and December 2021 with a confirmed radiological diagnosis of intracranial empyema were retrospectively reviewed, excluding non-otorhinological source cases. Patients were grouped according to onset before or after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 status.

Feasibility of dynamic chest radiography to calculate lung volumes in adult people with cystic fibrosis: a pilot study.

Introduction: Dynamic chest radiography (DCR) is a novel, low-dose, real-time digital imaging system where software identifies moving thoracic structures and can automatically calculate lung areas. In an observational, prospective, non-controlled, single-centre pilot study, we compared it with whole-body plethysmography (WBP) in the measurement of lung volume subdivisions in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF).

Methods: Lung volume subdivisions were estimated by DCR using projected lung area (PLA) during deep inspiration, tidal breathing and full expiration, and compared with same-day WBP in 20 adult pwCF attending routine review.