physicians – Page 3 – Texas Children's News

June 1, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your submissions and feedback.

May 27

New machine helps opthalmologists detect early signs of vision loss or problems

Texas Children’s has a new machine, called Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which allows pediatric opthalmologists to evaluate for retinal diseases, uvetis and optic nerve disorders. The OCT is an imaging tool that is similar to ultrasound but uses light waves instead of sound waves to create high resolution images of the retina and optic nerve. The Ophthalmology Division at Texas Children’s Hospital is one of the premier pediatric opthalmology surgery programs in the nation with exceptional expertise depth and quality of services and patient volumes. Read more

May 21

Texas Children’s hosts 25th Annual ECMO Conference

More than 125 people recently attended the 25th Annual Specialist Education in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Conference organized, in part, by Texas Children’s Hospital. Neonatologists, critical care physicians, surgeons, nurse and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) specialists gathered for three days in the Texas Medical Center to exchange information and ideas about the technique that can provide both cardiac and respiratory support to patients whose hearts and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of blood flow and oxygen to sustain life. Read more

May 21

Society of Pediatric Radiology honors imaging researchers with prestigious award

Imaging Researchers at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine won the prestigious Pilot Award at the national meeting of the Society of Pediatric Radiology in Seattle where the Texas Children’s team presented 10 posters and 24 scientific abstracts. The team’s abstracts represented almost 20 percent of all those podium presentations accepted from departments around the globe. It is the largest number of scientific abstracts accepted for oral presentations from a single institution at the national meeting. Read more

May 19

Texas Children’s Surgical Team honored at the Texas Capitol

The Texas Children’s surgical team that facilitated the separation surgery of the conjoined Mata twins was honored at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Dr. Darrell Cass, Dr. Larry Hollier and Head OR Nurse Audra Rushing were all recognized on the floor of the State House and the State Senate for their outstanding leadership in preparing for, and successfully executing, the historic separation surgery that occurred for the first time in the Houston area in nearly 20 years. Read more

May 15

Sixth annual Edmond T. Gonzales Surgical Research Day highlights advancements in field of pediatiric surgery

Almost 300 clinicians in the Department of Surgery attended the sixth annual Edmond T. Gonzales Jr. Surgical Research Day at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women on May 8. The event provided a forum for researchers to unveil their work highlighting remarkable advancements in the field of pediatric surgery. The program featured seven oral presentations and 96 poster presentations spotlighting the academic efforts of the surgical faculty, post graduate fellows, nurses and advanced practice providers. Read more

May 14

Professional organization names award after Texas Children’s otolaryngologist

The American Broncho-Esophagological Association (ABEA) recently honored Dr. Ellen Friedman by renaming its Presidential Citation for Excellence in Foreign Body Management to the Ellen M. Friedman Award for Excellence in Foreign Body Management. Read more

May 14

Dr. Shaine Morris awarded prestigious K23 grant from the National Institutes of Health

Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Shaine Morris was recently honored with a K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of the award is to bring recipients to the point where they are able to conduct their research independently and are competitive for major grant support through career development. Read more

May 13

Two NRI researchers among 2015 Debakey Research Award honorees

Two researchers from the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s, Dr. Benjamin Doneen and Dr. Olivier Lichtarge, were among the five Baylor College of Medicine faculty members honored with the 2015 Michael E. Debakey, M.D. Excellence in Research Award. Read more

May 13

Texas Children’s Hospital honors Distinguished Surgeon Award recipients

Three surgeons from the Department of Surgery recently received the Distinguished Surgeon Award. This year’s recipients are Dr. O.H. “Bud” Frazier, Dr. Edmond T. Gonzales, Jr. and Dr. David E. Wesson. Read more

May 12

Formerly conjoined twin discharged from hospital

Less than three months after being separated from her twin sister in a 26-hour operation at Texas Children’s Hospital Knatalye Hope Mata was released to the care of her family, just in time for Mother’s Day. Read more

May 8

Dr. John Dormans joins Texas Children’s as chief of Orthopedics

Dr. John Dormans is the new chief of Orthopedics. He also will serve as a professor of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He has been a clinician and leader at CHOP, serving as the hospital’s chief of orthopedic surgery from 1996 to 2014 and as president of the medical staff and president of Children’s Surgical Associates for four three-year terms. He focused his clinical work on pediatric spinal deformity and musculoskeletal tumors. Read more

April 14, 2015

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Texas Children’s mission is to create a community of healthy children through patient care, education and research. One way our physicians advance the health and safety of children is through their membership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Texas Pediatric Society (TPS).

On September 30, 2013, Texas Children’s and the AAP signed a first-of-its-kind partnership agreement whereby every eligible faculty member of the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics will be given membership in the AAP and the TPS.

“This partnership enhances Texas Children’s and Baylor’s visibility and representation on AAP committees and programs,” said Texas Children’s Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark W. Kline. “Our physicians will have a greater voice in many issues impacting the health and well-being of American children and families.”

As members of the AAP and the TPS/TX Chapter, Texas Children’s faculty can access critical information on all child health-related issues and topics, advocate for children at the local and national levels to promote key child health care initiatives, and engage in scholarly pursuits and membership in AAP sections/councils in their respective areas of expertise.

“This is an important collaboration because it strengthens our shared dedication to the health of all children,” said Tina Morton, director of membership outreach and marketing at the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We are working together to further enhance quality health care delivery and advocacy for children and we are proud to have Texas Children’s as our partner.”

Since this partnership began a year and a half ago, Texas Children’s faculty has been actively involved with the AAP and TPS to champion the health, safety and well-being of children. Many of our physicians have been appointed to AAP committees/councils to spearhead child advocacy efforts.

Dr. Robert Voigt is editor of the AAP’s textbook, “Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics” and is program chair of the AAP section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
Dr. Robert Ricketts received the AAP’s prestigious Anne E. Dyson Child Advocacy Award celebrating the outstanding efforts of pediatricians-in-training as they work to improve the health of children in their communities. Ricketts recently wrote a children’s book titled, Our Little Soldiers, to encourage children with HIV to take their medicine.
Dr. Mark Gilger is on the executive council of the AAP section of Gastroenterology and played an instrumental role in getting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to impose swift regulatory action that banned the sale of high-powered magnets in toys to prevent children from accidentally ingesting super strong, rare- earth (or Neodymium) magnets.
Dr. Fernando Stein is one of the founding members of the AAP section on Critical Care, Dr. Carl Tapia serves on the AAP Community Access to Child Health Program, Dr. Mark Ward serves as president of the TPS, and Dr. Krithka Lingappan is the chair of Trainees and Early Career Neonatologists within the AAP section on Perinatal Pediatrics.

“We encourage our physicians to take advantage of their membership with the AAP and TPS,” said Texas Children’s gastroenterologist Dr. Bruno Chumpitazi, who is a member of the Texas Children’s/Baylor-AAP oversight committee. “Together, we can create a lasting and meaningful change for the patients we serve.”

Click here for more information about the AAP. Click here to learn more about the TPS.

March 17, 2015

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Dr. Howard Epps, assistant chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and medical director of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Scoliosis, was recently appointed leadership positions in two orthopaedic surgery professional organizations.

Epps will join the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as a member-at-large Thursday, March 26 and he will become president of the Texas Orthopaedic Association Saturday, April 18.

“I am honored to have been named to two such distinguished positions,” Epps said. “I take my responsibility with these organizations very seriously and will work hard in these leadership roles to continue to place the field of orthopaedic surgery at the forefront of modern medicine.”

Founded in 1933, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the preeminent provider of musculoskeletal education to orthopaedic surgeons and others in the world. Its continuing medical education activities include a world-renowned annual meeting, multiple CME courses held around the country and at the Orthopaedic Learning Center, and various medical and scientific publications and electronic media materials. The Board of Directors manages the affairs of the academy and the association. It is the administrative authority of the academy and the association and considers all of its activities and determines its policies.

The Texas Orthopaedic Association was founded in 1936 as the united voice of orthopaedic surgeons in the state. Its mission is to ensure outstanding musculoskeletal health for Texans.

Epps is renowned as a leader in the field of pediatric orthopedics, distinguishing himself in a variety of research, clinical and academic roles. His clinical interests include limb deformity and reconstruction, fractures, clubfoot, musculoskeletal infection and cerebral palsy, which led him to author more than 35 book chapters and publications in various academic and medical journals.

After earning an undergraduate degree from Harvard University, Epps received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He did an internship in general surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and his residency at the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program. Epps also completed a fellowship in pediatric orthopaedic surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

In 2002, Epps was an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Leadership Fellow and has served on the academy’s Patient Safety Committee, Nominating Committee, the Member Communications Oversight Group, the editorial board of AAOS Now, and the Board of Specialty Societies Health Policy Committee.

Epps currently serves as vice present of the Texas Orthopedic Association and secretary of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.

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Dr. Patricio Gargollo, director of the Program for Complex Urogenital Reconstruction, was recently named associate medical director for pediatric surgery of the Simulation Center.

Gargollo’s role in the new position will be to collaborate with the Simulation Center’s medical director, Dr. Jennifer Arnold, to create an expansion of medical simulation education into the areas of pre-, peri- and post-operative care.

“In essence, we want to expand our center to include surgical simulation training,” Gargollo said. “This will include procedural training for residents, fellows, nurses and advanced practice providers. It will also allow us to use the hospital’s international reputation to reach out to an international surgical audience through telemedicine and live simulation courses.”

Lastly, Gargollo said “my hope is to replicate complex surgical cases through simulation in order to prepare surgeons and other providers who may not have the exposure to the type of difficult cases we encounter here at Texas Children’s Hospital.”

“I am very excited about working with Dr. Gargollo and about this new opportunity for the Simulation Center, our staff and our patients,” Arnold said. “It is vital that we identify leaders and champions in surgery in order to expand the educational and patient safety benefits of health care simulation to our perioperative providers and patients.”

The Pediatric Simulation Center at Texas Children’s Hospital is a multidisciplinary, hospital-based center providing hands-on pediatric and obstetric simulation training in a realistic environment to improve patient safety and patient care. In addition to the physical space, the hospital supports the center by allocating full-time personnel including a medical director, assistant director, lead physician, training specialist, systems specialist and now a surgical director.

The hospital’s dedication to the center stems from the fact that 70 percent of mistakes in medicine are due to human error, not lack of medical knowledge. The Simulation Center trains pediatric health care professionals to react and respond to high-risk pediatric and obstetric scenarios in a life-like simulated environment so that risk to patients is substantially lowered in real life situations.

Simulation is a guided technique that recreates a clinical environment and gives health care professionals exposure to high-risk scenarios without putting actual patients at risk. The simulation training experience includes:

Simulation exercises on high-fidelity mannequins that mimic real emergencies to facilitate team communication skills and real-time responses
Review of video-recorded simulation
Debriefing of learners to review and discuss simulation experience

Gargollo recently participated in the Mata conjoined twin separation simulation. During the simulation he, several other surgeons and operating room staff practiced several aspects the surgery, which ended up lasting just over 24 hours.

“Each and every simulation I’ve participated in has helped me prepare for whatever procedure I was about to perform,” Gargollo said. “The experience is truly invaluable and most definitely contributes to the quality of patient care we offer here at Texas Children’s Hospital.”

Gargollo was recruited to Texas Children’s Hospital to be the director of the Program for Complex Urogenital Reconstruction, which specializes in the care of patients with bladder and cloacal exstrophy, cloaca and neurogenic bladder. He also is the co-director of the Urology Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program. After earning his medical degree at Harvard Medical School, Gargollo completed a residency in general surgery followed by one in urology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also did a fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston.

March 10, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your submissions and feedback.

Top news story

Hope, faith and expertise: Surgical team leads historical Mata conjoined twins surgery

Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata, conjoined twin girls born at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in April 2014, underwent a successful separation surgery on February 17 at Texas Children’s Hospital. Led by surgeon Dr. Darrell Cass, a team of more than 26 clinicians worked together for more than a day to separate the girls who shared a chest wall, lungs, pericardial sac, diaphragm, liver, intestines, colon and pelvis. Watch the video or read the story for a behind-the-scenes look at this monumental undertaking.

February 25

Surgical Seed Grant Award recipients named

Six researchers representing congenital heart surgery, general surgery, ophthalmology and plastic surgery were recently named the recipients of the 2015 Surgical Seed Grant Awards given by the Department of Surgery. This grant program allows surgery researchers to generate the preliminary data necessary for National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant applications and other extramural funding. In total, more than $275,000 in grants will be awarded to the following recipients:

Ophthalmologist Dr. Lingun Kong Intravitreal Polymer Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System for Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Congenital Heart Surgeon Dr. Carlos Mery Development of a Novel Open Fetal Cardiac Surgical Intervention for Creation of an Atrial Septal Defect in Patients with Hypoplastic left Heart Syndrome & an Intact or Highly Restrictive Atrial Septum
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Edward Buchanan Psychometric Assessment of the Medical Interview in the Pediatric Population
Congenital Heart Surgeon Dr. Iki Adachi Pediatric Myocardial Alterations in Response to Ventricular Assist Devices
Ophthalmologist Dr. Mohamed Hussein Exploring the Role of the Choroid and the Autonomic Innervation in the Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Pediatric General Surgeon Dr. Sanjeev Vasudevan A “Pan-Omic” Analysis of Vascular Invasion in Pediatric Solid Tumors

Read more about the Surgical Seed Grant Awards.

February 24

Luna co-leads GI study to offer hope for son, children with autism spectrum disorders

Have you ever wondered why life leads us down certain career paths? For Dr. Ruth Ann Luna, the answer is obvious – her immense curiosity and passion for research to improve the quality of life for sick children. As director of Medical Metagenomics at Texas Children’s Microbiome Center, Luna focuses much of her research on the link between disturbances in the gut microbiome – bacterial communities in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract – and GI symptoms in children. Read more

February 17

Texas Children’s expands its subspecialty, therapy services to Kingwood

Quality is key, but convenience also plays a big part in the decision-making process when parents are looking for subspecialty and therapy services. That’s why Texas Children’s works to make such services convenient to families throughout the Greater Houston area. The organization’s most recent efforts focus on Kingwood, where Texas Children’s Specialty Care at Kingwood Glen recently, and Texas Children’s Hospital Outpatient Therapy at Kingwood Glen and Texas Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Therapy at Kingwood Glen opened in October. Read more

Multidisciplinary care enhances outcomes for women with placenta accreta

Due to our success in treating the most severe cases of morbidly adherent placenta, Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women continues to attract numerous patients from across the country. With the rise of caesarean births in the U.S., this potentially life-threatening condition is becoming more common among pregnant women. Morbidly adherent placenta – known as placenta accreta, increta or percreta, depending on the depth of uterine invasion – occurs when the placenta and its blood vessels grow deeply into the wall of the uterus and is unable to detach after childbirth. “The number of women we care for with morbidly adherent placenta is rapidly escalating as our outcomes continue to attract a growing number of referrals,” said Texas Children’s OB/GYN-in-Chief Dr. Michael Belfort, a world-renowned placenta accreta expert and founder of the Morbidly Adherent Placenta Program at Baylor College of Medicine. Read more

Texas Children’s Pediatrics opens sixth Community Cares practice

In February, Texas Children’s Pediatrics announced Texas Children’s Pediatrics Kingsland as its newest practice. Located at 21715 Kingsland Blvd., Suite 103, in Katy, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Kingsland is among six practices in the Texas Children’s Pediatrics Community Cares Program. The Community Cares Program provides trusted, high-quality pediatric medical services for children who otherwise would seek care from emergency rooms or possibly go without care or treatment due to low family incomes and/or lack of health insurance. Dr. Punita Sunder serves as the primary physician at Texas Children’s Pediatrics Kingsland. Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Sunder received her undergraduate degree from Rice University and earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. She earned her doctorate in philosophy from The University of Texas Medical Branch and completed her residency at Baylor. Read more

February 10

3-D Model of Mata twins helps surgeons prepare for girls’ separation

In the months before the separation surgery of conjoined twin girls Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata, comprehensive, multidisciplinary planning was underway. With help from a Dallas printing company, Chief of Radiology Research and Cardiac Imaging Dr. Rajesh Krishnamurthy built a 3-D model of the twins’ anatomy to help surgeons plan for the girls’ separation. The model was built using a computerized image data set of the twins and a 3-D printer. The detailed model includes a detachable, transparent liver and was especially helpful in the planning of the pelvic portion of the surgery, which presented an interesting and challenging anatomical situation because each girl had her own pelvic organs but each of those organs received blood supply from the other girl. Watch the video or read the story about the 3-D model. Read more

Friends, colleagues attend Singleton tribute ceremony

Family, friends and former colleagues of the late Dr. Edward B. Singleton, Chief Emeritus of the Edward B. Singleton Department of Pediatric Radiology, gathered to celebrate the life of the late physician and relive their favorite memories of the jovial Singleton. Browse the photo gallery to see some of the moments from this tribute ceremony. View the photo gallery.

February 9

Milewicz named chief surgical officer at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus

In February, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus announced Dr. Allen Milewicz as chief surgical officer. In his new role, Milewicz will be responsible for organizing Texas Children’s surgery within the community, focusing on Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Additionally, he will be working in conjunction with the entire Texas Children’s Department of Surgery to optimize surgical service for patients, families and referring physicians. “I look forward to expanding surgical services in the community while ensuring that each patient receives the experience, expertise and clinical outcomes for which Texas Children’s is known,” Milewicz said. Read more

February 6

Cutting Edge of Pediatrics conference draws more than 100 participants

The first “Cutting Edge of Pediatrics” conference sponsored by the Department of Surgery was held in January, providing 138 Houston-area pediatricians, family practice physicians and advanced practice providers an opportunity to learn about common pediatric surgical conditions from Texas Children’s surgeons. The surgeons and pediatric providers engaged in lively discussions of the topics, which included anesthesia, ethics, adolescent gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pediatric general surgery, plastic surgery and urology. Following a welcome from Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., presenters included Dr. Dean Andropoulos, Dr. Jennifer Bercaw-Pratt, Dr. David Coats, Dr. Nicolette Janzen, Dr. Edward Lee, Dr. Mark Mazziotti, Dr. Julina Ongkasuwan, Dr. Scott Rosenfeld and Dr. Veeral Shah. Read more

February 3

Texas Children’s researchers push for universal newborn biliary atresia screening

Texas Children’s pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Sanjiv Harpavat is working to ensure every newborn is screened for biliary atresia, a rare but deadly liver disease affecting 1 in 10,000 births in the U.S. It’s the number one reason for liver transplants in infants. Biliary atresia occurs when the bile duct connecting the liver to the small intestine is blocked. The buildup of bile in the liver scars the tissue so rapidly that most infants need a liver transplant to survive. “Infants with biliary atresia have more scarring after the first few months of life than a chronic alcoholic’s liver,” said Harpavat. “An important way to improve their outcomes is by detecting and treating the disease early before symptoms appear.” Read more

February 2

CRC presents research award to Dr. Carla Davis

The Clinical Research Center presented the Clinical Research Award for Fourth Quarter 2014 to Dr. Carla Davis, Pediatrics-Allergy & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine. The award was established by the Clinical Research Center in collaboration with the Research Resources Office to recognize and honor individual contributions to protecting the best interest of the research subjects and compliance with applicable rules and regulations.

Submissions for Bench and Bedside

Bench and Bedside is produced monthly by Texas Children’s Corporate Communications team to spotlight recent news about Texas Children’s physicians and scientists. The team welcomes submissions related to speaking engagements, staff awards/recognition, research, clinical work and academic activities. Send your questions or submissions to connectnews@texaschildrens.org.

February 2, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your submissions and feedback.

January 27

Renal Center reaches milestone in delivery of high-volume patient care

In January, Texas Children’s Renal Center delivered more than 100 acute therapies in less than 10 days – a remarkable milestone that demonstrates the value of teamwork and our hospital’s commitment to putting patients’ needs first.

“This is an incredible accomplishment,” said Texas Children’s Chief of Renal Services Dr. Michael Braun. “As the demand for our services continues to grow, so has our collaborative spirit to ensure critically ill patients receive efficient, high quality care every time they walk through our doors.” Read more

January 21

Leung advances research and care for cystic fibrosis patients

Dr. Daniel Leung, medical director of the Viral Hepatitis Clinic at Texas Children’s, has devoted much of his research to improving the outcomes of children with cystic fibrosis and cystic fibrosis-associated liver diseases. To accelerate CF research and patient care at Texas Children’s, Leung received a $100,000 Developing Innovative Gastroenterology Specialty Training (DIGEST) grant last spring from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This three-year grant is awarded to physicians across the country who demonstrate promise in changing the field of gastrointestinal care and research for CF patients. Read more

January 20

Call-to-action: Encourage your patients to sign up for MyChart

MyChart, the online patient portal that allows patients or their parents to access health information from Epic, recently underwent significant changes. The increased use of MyChart by Texas Children’s patient families will help providers stay connected to their patients, improve patient care and save time. Here’s how:

MyChart is an effective tool for patient engagement, leading to better outcomes. The more patient families are involved in their care, the better their outcomes.
MyChart allows easy login – whether on a computer or a smart phone – so patient families can see their health information and review comments from their physicians.
MyChart enhances how physicians communicate directly with their patients by allowing conversations to occur online and at times that are convenient for the physician and the patient. This direct communication helps patient families feel connected to their care providers.
MyChart improves the patient experience by allowing easier access to their health information, such as after-visit summaries, immunization histories and more.
MyChart promotes efficiency by decreasing the need for printing, mailing and faxing patient information.
Read more or Watch the video

January 20

Positioning team designs, builds swing to help conjoined twins sit up

Taking care of conjoined twins, Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata, is hard, even for the highly-trained medical staff charged with looking after the two 9-month-old girls. Diaper changes, baths, feedings, even moving the girls from one place to the other takes a lot of effort, thought and hands. So, when the team of surgeons assigned to the twins asked the girls’ primary nurses and physical therapist to figure out a way to help the twins sit up, Frank McCormick, Jennifer Pitlik and Jennifer McGinnis were stumped. Read more or Watch the video

January 20

2014 a record-breaking year for pediatric residency applicants

About 350 applicants visit the hospital campus between November and January. These students are hopeful they will be part of the elite group of 43 accepted to the highly competitive pediatric residency program. This academic year, the Department of Pediatrics had more than 990 residency applicants – the highest number of applicants in the program’s history. It’s about 100 more than last year, and it’s double the number of residents who applied just five years ago. “Recruiting residents is one of the most important things we do,” said Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark W. Kline. “We’re ensuring the health of Houston’s children 10, 15, 20 years down the road.” Read more or Watch the video

January 13

In memoriam: Lifelong teacher Dr. Edward B. Singleton passes away leaving rich legacy

A vase of flowers rests outside the office of Dr. Edward B. Singleton with the note, “we’ll miss you.” It’s a feeling shared by all who knew Singleton, Chief Emeritus of the Edward B. Singleton Department of Pediatric Radiology at Texas Children’s Hospital. Singleton passed away on January 10 at the age of 94. Read more or watch the video

January 13

Tissue engineering expert to speak at Cooley Lectureship

Renowned tissue engineering expert and Harvard Medical School John Homans Professor of Surgery Dr. Joseph Vacanti will be the featured speaker at this year’s Denton A. Cooley Lectureship in Surgical Innovation Tuesday, February 10. Beginning at 7:30 a.m. in the fourth-floor Conference Center at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, Vacanti will discuss “Tissue Engineering and the Care of Children,” a burgeoning area of research that has untapped potential for people who need new organs. Read more

January 13

Shneider named new chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Texas Children’s recently announced the arrival of Dr. Benjamin Shneider, our new chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Shneider was also appointed professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. Shneider obtained his undergraduate education at Stanford University and earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago. He completed pediatric residency training at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, as well as a subspecialty fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at Yale University. Read more

January 13

Dietary intervention study underway to improve outcomes in IBS patients

Texas Children’s researchers have embarked on a five-year crossover dietary intervention study that could determine why certain children with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) develop symptoms when eating wheat. In collaboration with researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Texas Children’s Gastroenterologist Dr. Bruno Chumpitazi and his team are conducting a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to examine the effects of fructans – a natural sugar found in wheat – in 80 children with IBS. Read more

January 6

Texas Children’s welcomes new cardiovascular surgeon

Texas Children’s Heart Center recently welcomed Cardiovascular Surgeon Dr. Lauren Kane. Kane is also an assistant professor of surgery and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Kane join our growing team as she brings with her a great array of clinical and research experience,” said Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Charles D. Fraser Jr. “Not only will her addition to the team allow for more convenient access for children in need of cardiac surgery, but we’re confident her research will continue to advance the national prominence of our cardiovascular team.” Kane’s clinical and research interests include the full spectrum of congenital heart surgery, with a particular interest in neonatal palliation and outcomes-based research. Read more

January 6

Pilot program makes scheduling surgery from remote locations easier

Historically, it has been difficult to schedule surgery from Texas Children’s Hospital locations outside Main Campus. A pilot project launched a few months ago in Otolaryngology has overcome this challenge and made scheduling surgery from remote locations easier. Surgeons now can add an order in Epic at the time of a patient visit. Previously, when otolaryngologists traveled to see patients, they faxed or transported paper forms to Main Campus or called to schedule surgery. “Those methods of scheduling surgery from offsite locations were less efficient and rife with opportunities for missed communications,” said Dr. Carla Giannoni, the Texas Children’s otolaryngologist who spearheaded the project. Read more

Submissions for Bench and Bedside

January 14, 2015

Bench and Bedside is a digest of the previous month’s stories about the clinical and academic activities of our physicians and scientists. We welcome your submissions and feedback.

12/19/2014

Texas Children’s Medical Staff: Required Training for Fluroscopic Procedures

On May 1, 2013 the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) made specific changes to its regulations of Texas Administrative Code §289.227 “Use of Radiation Machines in the Healing Arts.” This rule requires all physicians and midlevel providers to obtain additional radiation training prior to performing fluoroscopic procedures. This is not a Texas Children’s Hospital policy but a modification of state law goes into effect May 1, 2015. Read more

12/18/2014

Mata conjoined twins take first step toward separation with tissue expansion

Conjoined 8-month-old twin girls, Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata, underwent a five-hour surgery December 16 at Texas Children’s Hospital Main Campus to place custom-made tissue expanders into their chest and abdomen area. The tissue expanders will help stretch the babies’ skin in preparation for their separation surgery, which is expected to take place early next year. Dr. Alberto Hernandez with Interventional Radiology performed the examination. Chief of Plastic Surgery Dr. Larry Hollier and Dr. Ed Buchanan with the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery conducted the tissue expander placement surgery. Dr. Helana Karlberg led the anesthesia team and Audra Rushing led the surgical nursing team. Read more

12/18/2014

Tessier receives NASPGHAN Fellow Research Award for C. Difficile study

Dr. M. Elizabeth Tessier, a pediatric gastroenterology fellow at Texas Children’s, received the 2014 Fellow Research Award from the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN). Her award-winning study titled, “Bile acid signatures in children confer protection from clostridium difficile infection,” found that changes in the bile acid composition in the stool may predispose patients to Clostridium difficile (C.diff), a bacterial infection that causes intestinal inflammation and diarrhea. Read more

12/17/2014

Neurosurgery represents Texas Children’s at AANS Annual Meeting

The Texas Children’s Hospital Division of Neurosurgery was well represented at the recent American Association of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting in Amelia Island, Fla. The division had eight posters accepted for presentation. Of those eight, three were selected as “Top Posters.” In addition, Neurosurgery had four abstracts accepted for oral presentation. Read more

12/16/2014

Voice of Nursing blog: Physician-nurse partnership (By Dr. Tony Mott)

Trust, respect and a sense of humor. What do these things have in common? In my opinion, they’re the key ingredients for developing a successful nurse-physician partnership. As medical director, my partnership with Assistant Clinical Director Tarra Kerr is vital to the success of 15 West Tower. In fact, from our shared partnership, we have established a shared vision – a vision of what 15WT can be and the path to that end. Read more

12/16/2014

Department of Surgery unveils surgery preparation video

No parent ever wants to hear their child will need to have surgery – whether it’s a routine procedure that only takes minutes or it’s something more serious. That’s why the Department of Surgery goes out of its way to make the surgical experience at Texas Children’s a good one for patients as well as their families. The department’s most recent effort to ensure a positive surgical experience is had by all is a video for parents that talks about what to expect when their child has surgery at Texas Children’s. The video, available in English and Spanish, covers eating and drinking instructions, what to bring to the hospital and what parents will experience while their child is in surgery. “Our goal in the Department of Surgery is to have our patients and their families prepared as well as possible for the surgical experience,” Chief of Plastic Surgery Dr. Larry Hollier said. “Setting appropriate expectations is crucial to patient satisfaction.” Read more or Watch video

12/16/2014

The patient census and what it means for Texas Children’s

On any given day, hundreds of patients come through the hospital doors at Main Campus and West Campus. Whether they walk through our doors on their own, or are transferred from another hospital, these patients require the care of Texas Children’s Hospital specialists. In November, 101 patients had to be turned away from Texas Children’s Hospital. The patients were denied a transfer from another institution because we were above census. “We have to always remember that when people come to us, they are bringing their children who are ill for care,” said Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr. “We have to put ourselves in their position, and respond.” Read more or Watch video

12/16/20146

Texas Children’s hosts second cardiac artery anomalies conference

Texas Children’s Hospital hosted its second national conference December 4 and 5, addressing a series of fatal conditions known as coronary artery anomalies. Coronary artery anomalies are a group of rare congenital heart defects that have been associated with coronary ischemia, myocardial infarction, and sudden death. It is the second most common cause of sudden death in young healthy athletes. Read more

12/16/20146

Texas Children’s Heart Transplant Program celebrates 30th anniversary

Texas Children’s Hospital recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of its heart transplant program. Since its inception in 1984, Texas Children’s Heart Center has performed more than 300 heart transplants, making the program one of the most active and largest in the nation. “The true results of our team’s exceptional work over the past 30 years can be seen in the hundreds of success stories of our patient families,” said Texas Children’s Heart Failure, Cardiomyopathy and Cardiac Transplantation Medical Director Dr. Jeff Dreyer. “As one of the largest programs in the nation, our experience in treating patients with heart failure is leading the way in positive outcomes.” Read more

12/09/2014

Kayyal to co-lead development of Neuro-NICU program

Dr. Simon Kayyal, an assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at Baylor College of Medicine, recently joined Texas Children’s neurology team. He will develop and co-lead the Neuro-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Neuro-NICU) with Texas Children’s Neonatologist Dr. Jeffrey R. Kaiser, a professor of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. Read more

12/08/2014

Hand and Microvascular Surgery Clinic offers multidisciplinary team

Patients treated at the Texas Children’s Hospital Hand and Microvascular Surgery Clinic now benefit from not only two physicians whose focus is on hand and upper extremity care but also from a full-time certified hand therapist. Plastic and reconstructive surgeons Dr. Mitchel Seruya and Dr. Thomas Hunt III formed a multidisciplinary team with certified hand therapist Tara Haas. Seruya, Hunt and Haas work with registered nurses, occupational hand therapists and medical assistants to perform clinical evaluations, formulate diagnoses and provide treatment plans for patients. Read more

12/03/2014

Texas Children’s Pediatrics opens new practice, merges two others

Texas Children’s Pediatrics recently welcomed a new practice to the inner loop and merged two others in the Houston area. The new practice, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Green Park, opened November 18 and is located at 7505 S. Main St., Suite 450. Three new physicians – Dr. Michael Connelly, Dr. Shannon Hayes and Dr. Jackie Wanebo – are seeing patients at the location. Connelly, a Houston native, earned his medical degree from and completed his residency with the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. Connelly specializes in fitness, healthy eating, and infants and newborns. Hayes is from Katy and earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. Hayes completed her residency at Baylor as well, and trained at Texas Children’s Hospital. Wanebo came to Texas from Charlottesville, Va., earned her medical degree from the University of Virginia and completed her residency with the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She specializes in asthma, healthy eating, teenagers and children with special needs. Read more

Submissions for Bench and Bedside

Bench and Bedside will be produced monthly to spotlight recent news about Texas Children’s physicians and scientists. The Connect team welcomes submissions related to speaking engagements, staff awards/recognition, research, clinical work and academic activities. Send your questions or submissions to connectnews@texaschildrens.org.

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