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Background: The usage of specific ICD-10 diagnosis codes significantly influences hospital reimbursement compared to non-specific codes. This study hypothesized that a formal orientation program for pediatric surgery residents would enhance the selection of accurate and specific diagnosis codes for acute appendicitis such as K35.30 for "Acute appendicitis with localized peritonitis" rather than K35.80 for "Unspecified acute appendicitis," thereby improving hospital reimbursement., Methods: We implemented a comprehensive orientation for pediatric surgery residents at our institution in late 2020, a component of which emphasized the importance of having specific ICD-10 diagnosis codes. We conducted a retrospective analysis of laparoscopic appendectomy billing data for pediatric patients, comparing the use of specific versus unspecified diagnosis codes and associated hospital reimbursement rates before (2020) and after (2022) the program's initiation. Patients without payment were excluded. Statistical significance was determined by a two-tailed p-value of ≤0.05., Results: Analysis of 267 patient records showed a significant increase in the use of the specific diagnosis code (K35.30) from 3.6% in 2020 to 87.5% in 2022 (p < 0.0001). Adjusted for inflation and billing changes, mean hospital reimbursement per case increased by $661 (from $4414 to $5,075, p = 0.027), totaling an additional $84,616 in 2022, just for a single subset of appendicitis patients., Conclusions: A targeted resident orientation program significantly improves the use of specific ICD-10 codes for acute appendicitis, leading to increased hospital reimbursement. Such programs represent a valuable approach for enhancing the financial outcomes of pediatric surgical care while reinforcing the importance of accurate medical documentation., Study Design: Retrospective., Level of Evidence: III., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is limited literature reviewing same-day discharge for elective pediatric gastrostomy tube placement. Our aim was to assess the outcomes and national trends of same-day discharge following elective pediatric laparoscopic gastrostomy., Methods: ACS NSQIP-P registry data from 2017 to 2021 was used to evaluate elective pediatric laparoscopic gastrostomy patients who presented from home and discharged home with a diagnosis of failure to thrive, feeding difficulty or dysphagia. Patients discharged same-day postoperatively (SDD) were compared to those discharged 1-2 days postoperatively (non-SDD) for the primary outcome of unplanned 30-day readmission. Secondary outcomes included bleeding events, wound infection, and 30-day reoperation., Results: There were 5,947 patients identified; 4.7% were discharged same-day. The annual rate of SDD over 5 years went from 2.7% to 4.6%-4.8% to 4.5%-6.3%. There were no significant differences between SDD and non-SDD patients for early readmission or reoperation (0.7% vs 0.3%, p = 0.279), 30-day unplanned readmission (8.5% vs 8.0%, p = 0.407), reoperation (0.1% vs 1.4%, p = 1.000), or any other complications (p > 0.05). Binary logistic regression found pre-operative steroid use within 30 days increased risk of serious complication (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.29-3.15, p = 0.002) and 30-day readmission or reoperation (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.34-3.27, p = 0.001). All 6 patients (0.1%) who required reoperation within 3 days were identified prior to discharge, and none of the 16 patients readmitted within 3 days of surgery required reoperation., Conclusion: Though rates of same-day discharge following pediatric gastrostomy tube placement are low, they continue to increase annually. There were no significant differences in outcomes between same-day and non-same-day day discharge for elective cases presenting from and discharging home. In non-steroid using patients, same-day discharge following laparoscopic gastrostomy can be a safe option., Level of Evidence (i-V): Level III., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is limited literature on optimal timing for elective thoracoscopic lobectomy for congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAM) and sequestration. Using NSQIP-P, we aim to assess optimal operative timing for elective thoracoscopic lobectomy for CPAM and sequestration., Methods: Data from the NSQIP-Pediatric registry was used to evaluate elective thoracoscopic lobectomy patients from 2017 to 2021 diagnosed with congenital pulmonary airway malformation or sequestration. Open lobectomy, ventilator dependent, oxygen dependent, and patients <1 month old were excluded. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared for age cohorts (in months): 1-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-24, and 24+., Results: There were 717 patients identified. Operative time significantly increased with age from 1 to 3 months to the 24+ month cohort (164.9 min-221.7 min, p = 0.014). Rates of conversion to open were 7.4% vs 21.8%, p = 0.181 in these age groups, respectively. Though not statistically significant, 14.8% of patients at 1-3 months had transfusion events reported compared to 6.4% at 3-6 months and 1.3% at 24+ months (p = 0.067). There were no significant differences between age groups for 30-day unplanned readmission, reoperation, non-transfusion complications, all complications, or mortality., Conclusion: Optimal surgical timing for thoracoscopic lobectomy for CPAM and sequestration is complex. Surgery at younger ages is associated with significantly shorter operative times; however, a greater powered study is needed to further assess the conversion to open rate in patients >3 months and the bleeding/transfusion rate in patients <3 months of age., Level of Evidence (i-V): Level III., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Limited data exists evaluating same-day discharge for pediatric Nuss procedure; most being single-center studies. Our analysis, using the NSQIP-P registry, aimed to assess if same-day discharge for the Nuss procedure influenced post-operative outcomes., Methods: The NSQIP-P database (2017-2022) identified patients who underwent the Nuss procedure. Patients discharged same-day postoperatively (SDD) were compared to those discharged 1-7 days postoperatively (non-SDD)., Results: Of 5486 patients identified, 91 (1.7%) were SDD. From 2018 to 2022, the annual SDD rate increased from 0.8% to 2.7%. There was no significant difference between SDD and non-SDD groups for 30-day readmission (1.1% vs 3.5%, p = 0.376), reoperation (0% vs 1.5%, p = 0.643), or other outcomes. Twenty-six patients required readmission or reoperation within 3-days; only one underwent SDD. The most common readmission was for pain (n = 4) and reoperation for chest-tube placement (n = 10). Asthma (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.03-2.67, p = 0.038), and increased operative time (per 10 min increment: OR 1.060, 95% CI 1.034-1.086, p < 0.001) each increased risk of readmission or reoperation., Conclusion: Same-day discharge for the Nuss procedure, although infrequent, has increased without significant differences in complications in the 91 patients who were discharged same-day in this analysis. Same-day discharge for Nuss procedure is reasonable for non-asthmatic patients with a satisfactory postoperative x-ray and meeting other goal-based discharge criteria, including adequate pain control., Level of Evidence (i-V): Level III., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: The diagnosis and management of biliary dyskinesia in children and adolescents remains variable and controversial. The American Pediatric Surgical Association Outcomes and Evidence-Based Practice Committee (APSA OEBP) performed a systematic review of the literature to develop evidence-based recommendations., Methods: Through an iterative process, the membership of the APSA OEBP developed five a priori questions focused on diagnostic criteria, indications for cholecystectomy, short and long-term outcomes, predictors of success/benefit, and outcomes of medical management. A systematic review was conducted, and articles were selected for review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using Methodologic Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria. The Oxford Levels of Evidence and Grades of Recommendation were utilized., Results: The diagnostic criteria for biliary dyskinesia in children and adolescents are not clearly defined. Cholecystectomy may provide long-term partial or complete relief in some patients; however, there are no reliable predictors of symptom relief. Some patients may experience resolution of symptoms with non-operative management., Conclusions: Pediatric biliary dyskinesia remains an ill-defined clinical entity. Pediatric-specific guidelines are necessary to better characterize the condition, guide work-up, and provide management recommendations. Prospective studies are necessary to more reliably identify patients who may benefit from cholecystectomy., Level of Evidence: Level 3-4., Type of Study: Systematic Review of Level 3-4 Studies., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The American Pediatric Surgical Association Outcomes and Evidence-Based Practice Committee conducted a systematic review to describe the epidemiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pediatric surgical and trauma patients and develop recommendations for screening and prophylaxis., Methods: The Medline (Ovid), Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were queried from January 2000 through December 2021. Search terms addressed the following topics: incidence, ultrasound screening, and mechanical and pharmacologic prophylaxis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Consensus recommendations were derived based on the best available literature., Results: One hundred twenty-four studies were included. The incidence of VTE in pediatric surgical populations is 0.29% (Range = 0.1%-0.48%) and directly correlates with surgery type, transfusion, prolonged anesthesia, malignancy, congenital heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, infection, and female sex. The incidence of VTE in pediatric trauma populations is 0.25% (Range = 0.1%-0.8%) and directly correlates with injury severity, major surgery, central line placement, body mass index, spinal cord injury, and length-of-stay. Routine ultrasound screening for VTE is not recommended. Consider sequential compression devices in at-risk nonmobile, pediatric surgical patients when an appropriate sized device is available. Consider mechanical prophylaxis alone or with pharmacologic prophylaxis in adolescents >15 y and post-pubertal children <15 y with injury severity scores >25. When utilizing pharmacologic prophylaxis, low molecular weight heparin is superior to unfractionated heparin., Conclusions: While VTE remains an infrequent complication in children, consideration of mechanical and pharmacologic prophylaxis is appropriate in certain populations., Type of Study: Systematic Review of level 2-4 studies., Level of Evidence: Level 3-4., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors have no potential competing interests to disclose. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, nor the U.S. Government (CDR Donald Lucas, MC, USN). One author is a military Service member or employee of the U.S. Government. This work was prepared as part of his official duties. Title 17, U.S.C., §105 provides that copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the U.S. Government. Title 17, U.S.C., §101 defines a U.S. Government work as a work prepared by a military Service member or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person's official duties (CDR Donald Lucas, MC, USN)., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Significant variation in management strategies for lymphatic malformations (LMs) in children persists. The goal of this systematic review is to summarize outcomes for medical therapy, sclerotherapy, and surgery, and to provide evidence-based recommendations regarding the treatment., Methods: Three questions regarding LM management were generated according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Publicly available databases were queried to identify articles published from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2021. A consensus statement of recommendations was generated in response to each question., Results: The initial search identified 9326 abstracts, each reviewed by two authors. A total of 600 abstracts met selection criteria for full manuscript review with 202 subsequently utilized for extraction of data. Medical therapy, such as sirolimus, can be used as an adjunct with percutaneous treatments or surgery, or for extensive LM. Sclerotherapy can achieve partial or complete response in over 90% of patients and is most effective for macrocystic lesions. Depending on the size, extent, and location of the malformation, surgery can be considered., Conclusion: Evidence supporting best practices for the safety and effectiveness of management for LMs is currently of moderate quality. Many patients benefit from multi-modal treatment determined by the extent and type of LM. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended to determine the optimal individualized treatment for each patient., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Inguinal hernia repair in preterm infants is common and is associated with considerable morbidity. Whether the inguinal hernia should be repaired prior to or after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit is controversial., Objective: To evaluate the safety of early vs late surgical repair for preterm infants with an inguinal hernia., Design, Setting, and Participants: A multicenter randomized clinical trial including preterm infants with inguinal hernia diagnosed during initial hospitalization was conducted between September 2013 and April 2021 at 39 US hospitals. Follow-up was completed on January 3, 2023., Interventions: In the early repair strategy, infants underwent inguinal hernia repair before neonatal intensive care unit discharge. In the late repair strategy, hernia repair was planned after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit and when the infants were older than 55 weeks' postmenstrual age., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was occurrence of any prespecified serious adverse event during the 10-month observation period (determined by a blinded adjudication committee). The secondary outcomes included the total number of days in the hospital during the 10-month observation period., Results: Among the 338 randomized infants (172 in the early repair group and 166 in the late repair group), 320 underwent operative repair (86% were male; 2% were Asian, 30% were Black, 16% were Hispanic, 59% were White, and race and ethnicity were unknown in 9% and 4%, respectively; the mean gestational age at birth was 26.6 weeks [SD, 2.8 weeks]; the mean postnatal age at enrollment was 12 weeks [SD, 5 weeks]). Among 308 infants (91%) with complete data (159 in the early repair group and 149 in the late repair group), 44 (28%) in the early repair group vs 27 (18%) in the late repair group had at least 1 serious adverse event (risk difference, -7.9% [95% credible interval, -16.9% to 0%]; 97% bayesian posterior probability of benefit with late repair). The median number of days in the hospital during the 10-month observation period was 19.0 days (IQR, 9.8 to 35.0 days) in the early repair group vs 16.0 days (IQR, 7.0 to 38.0 days) in the late repair group (82% posterior probability of benefit with late repair). In the prespecified subgroup analyses, the probability that late repair reduced the number of infants with at least 1 serious adverse event was higher in infants with a gestational age younger than 28 weeks and in those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (99% probability of benefit in each subgroup)., Conclusions and Relevance: Among preterm infants with inguinal hernia, the late repair strategy resulted in fewer infants having at least 1 serious adverse event. These findings support delaying inguinal hernia repair until after initial discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01678638.

Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can directly target microscopic peritoneal disease, has achieved regular consideration in the treatment of several adult cancer types, and is more recently being studied in pediatrics. This review paper provides an overview of the use of this modality in pediatrics in order to identify medication choice, discuss post-operative morbidity and mortality, and evaluate impact on overall survival. Four databases were searched including Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL and ultimately 37 papers documenting the use of this modality comprising 264 pediatric patients were included. Malignancies treated include desmoplastic small round cell tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma, colorectal carcinoma, and mesothelioma, with several rarer tumor types. Cisplatin was the most commonly used drug for HIPEC at varying concentrations for 30-90 min in duration at temperatures of approximately 41-42 °C. Reported toxicities were generally self-limited and there was no post-operative mortality. The impact on overall survival versus systemic chemotherapy and debulking surgery is uncertain due to lack of clinical trials and very small sample size across tumor subsets and the overall pediatric population. The relationship between degree of tumor burden and extent of surgical debulking needs to be further clarified. Future directions include prospective clinical trials, establishment of patient databases to facilitate standardization of HIPEC in pediatric patients, and additional approaches to optimize HIPEC.

Sclerosing lipogranuloma (SLG) in children is a rare, benign disease of unknown etiology suspected to be due to abnormal fatty tissue reaction. A 13-year-old girl presented with progressively worsening back pain. Cross-sectional imaging identified a retroperitoneal mass compressing the left ureter as well as infrarenal inferior vena cava atresia with extensive venous collaterals and chronic partially occlusive thromboses of the iliac veins. Surgical biopsy was consistent with SLG and it resolved spontaneously. SLG is typically a disease of adulthood but may be seen in children. The association between inferior vena cava atresia with venous thrombosis and development of SLG has not been reported previously., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To establish the cogency of recommendations for the appropriate age for pull-through and ileostomy closure in Total Colonic Aganglionosis-Hirschsprung Disease's (TCA-HD)., Method: Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, and the ClinicalKey databases were searched without date restriction. The studies that reported TCA-HD cases were evaluated for the number of cases, age at the definitive procedure, age at the ileostomy closure, reported complications, and the type of procedure. Perianal excoriation and diaper rash rates were analyzed using SPSS software, with p < 0.05 considered significant., Results: Twenty-five studies mentioned TCA-HD findings between 1968 and 2019. The total number of patients who had definitive surgery was 218. Analysis showed no correlation between development of diaper rash and the age of the patient at the time of the definitive surgery or ileostomy closure. Studies scored between six and nine of nine possible stars on the NOS scoring system., Conclusion: There is no correlation between age of surgery and postoperative diaper rash. Delaying the definitive procedure or ileostomy closure for TCA-HD has limited support on a review of current studies. The perianal excoriation/diaper rash is not reported in the literature at a high enough frequency to warrant keeping a diverting ileostomy until toilet trained of urine., Type of Study: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Levels of evidence IV., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pediatric abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are rarely encountered in clinical practice. The combination of a pediatric AAA in a patient with multiple peripheral artery aneurysms is even more rare. We report the management of an 11-year-old boy who presented with a ruptured AAA who also had multiple peripheral arterial aneurysms. Infectious, genetic, and inflammatory workup was negative, classifying this aneurysm as congenital., (© 2020 The Authors.)

Patients presenting with near-obstructing colon lesions requiring segmental colectomy may benefit from intraoperative colonoscopy (IOC) after primary anastomosis for a more timely and accurate diagnosis of synchronous lesions. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of this technique. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing single-stage segmental colectomy and anastomosis at a single tertiary care institution from 2011 to 2013 was performed. One Hundred and sixty-eight consecutive patients underwent segmental colectomy and primary anastomosis of which 78 (46%) were unable to receive preoperative colonoscopy (POC) because of near-obstructing lesions and received IOC after the anastomosis. IOC detected synchronous adenomatous polyps in 24.4 per cent, diverticular disease in 19 per cent, and colitis/proctitis in 2.5 per cent. The IOC group was not significantly different from the POC group with regard to overall morbidity (31% vs 39% P = 0.45), anastomotic leakage (1.3% vs 0%, P = 0.46), or wound infection (5.1% vs 1.1%, P = 0.18). Operation time was 19 minutes longer in the intraoperative group, but overall length of hospital stay was not significantly different (6.4 ± 2.9 days vs 7.3 ± 4.6 days). In patients unable to receive POC because of partial obstruction, IOC after primary anastomosis is both feasible and safe for detecting proximal synchronous lesions.

Procedures and outcomes for pediatric esophageal foreign body removal were analyzed. Traditional methods of battery removal were compared with a magnetic tip orogastric tube (MtOGT). A single institution retrospective review from 1997 to 2014 of pediatric patients with esophageal foreign bodies was performed. Balloon extraction with fluoroscopy (performed in 173 patients with 91% success), flexible endoscopy (92% success in 102 patients), and rigid esophagoscopy (95% in 38 patients) had excellent success rates. A MtOGT had 100 per cent success in six disc battery patients, when other methods were more likely to fail, and was the fastest. Power analysis suggested 20 patients in the MtOGT group would be needed for significant savings in procedural time. Thirty-two per cent of all foreign bodies and 95 per cent of batteries had complications (P = 0.002) because of the foreign body. Overall, 1.2 per cent had severe complications, whereas 10 per cent of batteries had severe complications (P = 0.04). Each technique if applied appropriately can be a reasonable option for esophageal foreign body removal. Magnetic tip orogastric tubes used to extract ferromagnetic objects like disc batteries had the shortest procedure time and highest success rate although it was not statistically significant. Disc batteries require emergent removal and have a significant complication rate.

Mitochondria are a major target in hypoxic/ischemic injury. Mitochondrial impairment increases with age leading to dysregulation of molecular pathways linked to mitochondria. The perturbation of mitochondrial homeostasis and cellular energetics worsens outcome following hypoxic-ischemic insults in elderly individuals. In response to acute injury conditions, cellular machinery relies on rapid adaptations by modulating posttranslational modifications. Therefore, post-translational regulation of molecular mediators such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator α (PGC-1α), c-MYC, SIRT1 and AMPK play a critical role in the control of the glycolytic-mitochondrial energy axis in response to hypoxic-ischemic conditions. The deficiency of oxygen and nutrients leads to decreased energetic reliance on mitochondria, promoting glycolysis. The combination of pseudohypoxia, declining autophagy, and dysregulation of stress responses with aging adds to impaired host response to hypoxic-ischemic injury. Furthermore, intermitochondrial signal propagation and tissue wide oscillations in mitochondrial metabolism in response to oxidative stress are emerging as vital to cellular energetics. Recently reported intercellular transport of mitochondria through tunneling nanotubes also play a role in the response to and treatments for ischemic injury. In this review we attempt to provide an overview of some of the molecular mechanisms and potential therapies involved in the alteration of cellular energetics with aging and injury with a neurobiological perspective., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: We sought to examine the effect of routine antithrombin III (AT3) infusion on hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications, blood product utilization, and circuit lifespan in neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 162 infants placed on ECMO for hypoxic respiratory failure. Infants requiring ECMO for primary cardiac support were excluded. Demographic data, time on ECMO, blood product usage, coagulation profile, and complications were compared between 90 control patients and 72 patients treated with AT3., Results: Infants receiving AT3 during ECMO had less thrombotic and similar bleeding complications as compared to infants receiving standard anticoagulation therapy. Total blood product infusion during ECMO was decreased (54.7±20.1 vs. 67.4±34.9mL/kg per day, p=0.001) in infants receiving AT3 during ECMO. Tighter control of activated clotting time and higher serum heparin anti-Xa levels were observed in the AT3 cohort during the first days of ECMO support. 1st ECMO circuit lifespan did not differ between groups., Conclusions: Routine administration of AT3 in neonates receiving ECMO therapy was associated with tighter control of anticoagulation and a reduction in thrombotic events without increasing unwanted bleeding. However, circuit lifespan was unaffected., Level of Evidence: Level III., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Conventional treatment of respiratory failure involves positive pressure ventilation that can worsen lung damage. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is typically used when conventional therapy fails. In this study, we evaluated the use of venovenous (VV)-ECMO for the treatment of severe pediatric respiratory failure at our institution. A retrospective analysis of pediatric patients (age 1-18) placed on ECMO in the last 15 years (1999-2014) by the pediatric surgery team for respiratory failure was performed. Five pediatric patients underwent ECMO (mean age 10 years; range, 2-16). All underwent VV-ECMO. Diagnoses were status asthmaticus (2), acute respiratory distress syndrome due to septic shock (1), aspergillus pneumonia (1), and respiratory failure due to parainfluenza (1). Two patients had severe barotrauma prior to ECMO initiation. Average oxygenation index (OI) prior to cannulation was 74 (range 23-122). No patients required conversion to VA-ECMO. The average ECMO run time was 4.4 days (range 2-6). The average number of days on the ventilator was 15 (range 4-27). There were no major complications due to the procedure. Survival to discharge was 100%. Average follow up is 4.4 years (range 1-15). A short run of VV-ECMO can be lifesaving for pediatric patients in respiratory failure. Survival is excellent despite severely elevated oxygen indices. VV-ECMO may be well tolerated and can be considered for severe pediatric respiratory failure.

Surgeons frequently report frustration and loss of efficiency with electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Together, surgery residents and a programmer at Augusta University created a rounds report (RR) summarizing 24 hours of vitals, intake/output, labs, and other values for each inpatient that were previously transcribed by hand. The objective of this study was to evaluate the RR's effect on surgery residents. Surgery residents were queried to assess the RR's impact. Outcome measures were time spent preparing for rounds, direct patient care time, educational activity time, rates of incorrect/incomplete data on rounds, and rate of duty hour violations. Hospital wide, 17,200 RRs were generated in the 1-month study. Twenty-three surgery residents participated. Time spent preparing for rounds decreased per floor patient (15.6 ± 3.0 vs 6.0 ± 1.2, P < 0.0001) and per intensive care unit patient (19.9 ± 2.9 vs 7.5 ± 1.2 P < 0.0001). The work day spent in direct patient care increased from 45.1 ± 5.6 to 54.0 ± 5.7 per cent (P = 0.0044). Educational activity time increased from 35.2 ± 5.4 to 54.7 ± 7.1 minutes per resident per day (P = 0.0004). Reported duty hour violations decreased 58 per cent (P < 0.0001). American Board of Surgery in Training exam scores trended up, and estimates of departmental annual financial savings range from $66,598 to $273,141 per year. Significant improvements occur with surgeon designed EMR tools like the RR. Hospitals and EMR companies should pair interested surgeons with health information technology developers to facilitate EMR enhancements. Improvements like RRs can have broad ranging, multidisciplinary impact and should be standard in all EMRs used for inpatient care at academic medical centers.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria induces acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. This injury is associated with lung edema, inflammation, diffuse alveolar damage, and severe respiratory insufficiency. We have previously reported that LPS-mediated nitric oxide synthase (NOS) uncoupling, through increases in asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), plays an important role in the development of ALI through the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Therefore, the focus of this study was to determine whether mice deficient in endothelial NOS (eNOS-/-) are protected against ALI. In both wild-type and eNOS-/- mice, ALI was induced by the intratracheal instillation of LPS (2 mg/kg). After 24 hours, we found that eNOS-/-mice were protected against the LPS mediated increase in inflammatory cell infiltration, inflammatory cytokine production, and lung injury. In addition, LPS exposed eNOS-/- mice had increased oxygen saturation and improved lung mechanics. The protection in eNOS-/- mice was associated with an attenuated production of NO, NOS derived superoxide, and peroxynitrite. Furthermore, we found that eNOS-/- mice had less RhoA activation that correlated with a reduction in RhoA nitration at Tyr34. Finally, we found that the reduction in NOS uncoupling in eNOS-/- mice was due to a preservation of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activity that prevented the LPS-mediated increase in ADMA. Together our data suggest that eNOS derived reactive species play an important role in the development of LPS-mediated lung injury.