magnetic-resonance-guided-high-intensity-focused-ultrasound-generated

Magnetic Resonance-Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Generated Hyperthermia: A Feasible Treatment Method in a Murine Rhabdomyosarcoma Model

Magnetic resonance-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) is an established method for producing localized hyperthermia. Given the real-time ...

The Hospital for Sick Children

University of Toronto

The extensive changeover in residents that occurs every July in university-affiliated hospitals has been postulated to result in impaired delivery of patient care as new house staff are less experienced and unfamiliar with hospital-specific systems (the "July phenomenon"). To assess the impact of this process on patient safety, we examined the incidence and sources of medical error and adverse outcomes on a pediatric general surgery service during the final month of an academic year and the first month of the subsequent academic year.

Errors and adverse outcomes on a surgical service: what is the role of residents?

Laparoscopic models are increasingly recognized as important tools in surgical training. The purpose of this study was to compare pediatric and adult laparoscopic surgical skills, and gain insight into the upskilling in both groups.

Comparison of Adult and Pediatric Surgeons: Insight into Simulation-Based Tools That May Improve Expertise Among Experts.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a severe complication of solid organ transplantation. A common site for PTLD development is the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, clinical features, and overall survival of pediatric patients with GI-PTLD, and to assess whether major surgical interventions increased mortality. Records of pediatric transplant patients who developed GI-PTLD between January 2000 and June 2015 were retrospectively reviewed at our institution. Of 814 patients who received solid organ transplants, 34 (4%) developed GI-PTLD. Lung and multiorgan transplants had the highest incidence of GI-PTLD (both 11%). Patients often had multisite GI involvement (47%). Within the first year of transplantation, 38% of the 34 patients developed GI-PTLD. Of the patients with Epstein-Barr Virus-positive disease, 12/22 (55%) presented in the first 12 months of transplantation, compared with only 1/12 (8%) of the patients with Epstein-Barr Virus-negative disease (P=0.002). Major surgical interventions were required in 41% of patients; overall survival rate for these surgical patients was 71%, compared with 60% for patients not requiring major surgical interventions (P=0.49). Despite multimodal treatments, overall survival remains poor for patients with GI-PTLD; however, major surgical intervention did not significantly impact overall survival in this cohort.

Pediatric Gastrointestinal Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder: Incidence, Clinical Characteristics, and Impact of Major Surgical Interventions Upon Overall Survival.

Laparoscopic simulators help improve surgical skills in an ex vivo setting. New simulators incorporate force and motion assessment, but often at high financial cost. Our goal is to establish global access to a laparoscopic simulator, which offers both traditional summative assessment (time to task completion and precision) as well as advanced formative assessment (force and motion sensing capabilities) so that educators anywhere may be able to create simulators with increased educational value.

Development of an Open-Source Laparoscopic Simulator Capable of Motion and Force Assessment: High Tech at Low Cost.

Simulation is becoming more important in the teaching and assessment of technical skills. The purpose of this study was to refine the use of motion analysis parameters (MAPs) to assess performance of a defined task in low-cost pediatric laparoscopic simulators of differing size.

Refinement in the analysis of motion within low-cost laparoscopic simulators of differing size: Implications on assessing technical skills.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPSs) are the mainstay of treatment of hydrocephalus but frequently need revision. We sought to directly compare the impact of laparoscopic versus open peritoneal shunt revision on the need for subsequent VPS revisions in pediatric patients.

Laparoscopic Revision of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts in Pediatric Patients May Result in Fewer Subsequent Peritoneal Revisions.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) represents the most common soft tissue sarcoma in the pediatric age group. While RMS has been traditionally classified on the basis of its histological appearance (with embryonal and alveolar being most common), it is now clear that the PAX-FOXO1 fusion product drives prognosis. We report here a case of pelvic embryonal RMS in a 3-month-old male who was subsequently found to have developed brain metastases during the course of chemotherapy. Cytogenetic analysis of the brain metastases at the time of autopsy as well as next-generation sequencing analysis revealed a reciprocal translocation involving the SH3 domain containing ring finger 3 gene (SH3RF3, on chromosome 2q13) and the Lipase C gene (LIPC, on chromosome 15q21.3). Due to the poor quality of the pretreatment and postresection samples, cytogenetics and NGS analysis looking for the presence of this balanced translocation in these specimens could not be performed. To the authors' knowledge, this translocation has never been described in RMS. Further studies are needed to determine the biological and clinical implications of this novel translocation.

Aggressive embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a 3-month-old boy: A clinical and molecular analysis.

Magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) is a novel treatment for neuroblastoma using ultrasound-induced thermal ablation with real-time MR thermometry. It is unclear which patients would be amenable to MRgHIFU given the retroperitoneal location of many neuroblastomas within the smaller pediatric abdomen. In addition, planning relies on MR scans, which are not routine in the standard pediatric neuroblastoma workup. This study sought to demonstrate that neuroblastomas are targetable with MRgHIFU and available computed tomographic imaging could be utilized for MRgHIFU virtual treatment. Cross-sectional images of 88 pediatric abdominal neuroblastoma patients were retrospectively processed with custom software to be made compatible with the Sonalleve MRgHIFU platform. Targetability measured percent treatment to lesion volume, within adequate safety margins from critical structures. All images were successfully converted into treatment planning files. Median lesion size was 191±195 cm and depth was 29±17 mm. Up to 78 (85%) patients had targetable lesions with a median targetable volume of 15% and ranging up to 79%. Targetability was highest in superficial, right upper quadrant lesions >200 cm, but limited by proximity to bowel and ribs. This study demonstrates the capacity for MRgHIFU to potentially treat the majority of abdominal neuroblastomas and the feasibility of using computed tomographic images for MRgHIFU virtual treatment planning.

Magnetic Resonance-guided High-intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgHIFU) Virtual Treatment Planning for Abdominal Neuroblastoma Utilizing Retrospective Diagnostic 3D CT Images.

Justin T. Gerstle

The Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Centre for Image-Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention

The Hospital for Sick Children

Magnetic Resonance-Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Generated Hyperthermia: A Feasible Treatment Method in a Murine Rhabdomyosarcoma Model