Passing the Scalpel: Lessons on retirement planning from retired academic surgeons.

Background: Almost half of practicing surgeons in the United States are currently older than 55, but guidelines on how to prepare for retirement are limited. We sought to identify possible facilitators for, and obstacles to, surgeons' preparations for retirement.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with clinically inactive academic surgeons.

The Effect of Implementing Teledermatology in Patients Presenting with Cellulitis Versus Pseudocellulitis in an Academic Emergency Department Setting: A Pilot Study.

There is a shortage of dermatologists available to see hospitalized patients, especially for urgent evaluations such as in the emergency department setting. The use of teledermatology in the emergency setting was studied for patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms of or a diagnosis of cellulitis. Thirty patients were enrolled and randomized to a teledermatology note being placed in their chart versus control patients undergoing standard care.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Pediatric Difficult Airway Simulation Course.

Objective To design and assess an advanced pediatric airway management course, through simulation-based team training and with multiple disciplines, to emphasize communication and cooperation across subspecialties and to provide a common skill set and knowledge base. Methods Trainees from anesthesiology, emergency medicine, critical care, pediatric surgery, and otolaryngology at a tertiary children's hospital participated in a 1-day workshop emphasizing airway skills and complex airway simulations. Small groups were multidisciplinary to promote teamwork.

Tracheal extubation practices following adenotonsillectomy in children: effects on operating room efficiency between two institutions.

Background: Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed operative procedures in children. It is imperative to find the most efficient and cost-effective methods of practice to facilitate operating room management while maintaining patient safety. We investigated the efficiency of two different approaches of tracheal extubation in pediatric patients following adenotonsillectomy at two tertiary care pediatric hospitals with large surgical volumes.

Pain management following myringotomy and tube placement: intranasal dexmedetomidine versus intranasal fentanyl.

Purpose: Despite the brevity of the procedure, bilateral myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement (BMT) can result in significant postoperative pain and discomfort. As the procedure is frequently performed without intravenous access, non-parenteral routes of administration are frequently used for analgesia. The current study prospectively compares the efficacy of intranasal (IN) dexmedetomidine with IN fentanyl for children undergoing BMT.

Discovery of HeLa Cell Contamination in HES Cells: Call for Cell Line Authentication in Reproductive Biology Research.

Continuous cell lines are used frequently in reproductive biology research to study problems in early pregnancy events and parturition. It has been recognized for 50 years that many mammalian cell lines contain inter- or intraspecies contaminations with other cells. However, most investigators do not routinely test their culture systems for cross-contamination.

The internet, adolescent males, and homemade blowgun darts: a recipe for foreign body aspiration.

We describe our experience with blowgun dart aspiration via an illustrative case series and review the resources available to teach children how to construct these objects. A 15-year-old boy presented with cough, wheeze, and eventually admitted to aspiration of a homemade blowgun dart. This instance heightened the awareness of our experience with blowgun dart aspiration as 3 cases presented within a 3-month period.

Improving screening for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes at a pediatric cystic fibrosis program.

Objective: Despite guidelines recommending an annual oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for all patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) aged ≥ 10 years, screening rates for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) remained low at our center. The aim of this project was to implement an outpatient system to provide effective, evidence-based screening for CFRD at a pediatric CF program.

Methods: Development of a system to improve outpatient screening for CFRD included structured education, communication with families, and processes for scheduling laboratory appointments.

Outcomes following percutaneous upper gastrointestinal decompressive tube placement for malignant bowel obstruction in ovarian cancer.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate peri-operative and survival outcomes of ovarian cancer patients undergoing percutaneous upper gastrointestinal decompression for malignant bowel obstruction (MBO).

Methods: Retrospective chart review was used to identify patients with ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer who underwent palliative decompressive treatment for MBO from 1/2002 to 12/2010. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate the median survival (MS) and multivariate analysis used to determine if any variables were associated with the hazard of death.