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Kelli Whitlock Burton

Getting to the Point: Are Safety Needles Really Safe?
Getting to the Point: Are Safety Needles Really Safe? 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

Sharp hypodermic needles are, as the name implies, sharp. Just ask the nearly 400,000 U.S. health care workers who are accidentally pricked each year. Most needle sticks aren’t serious, but the potential for exposure to bloodborne diseases has led many hospitals to discontinue the use of sharp needles in certain areas, including the operating room.…

An Unwelcome Blast from the Past: Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding
An Unwelcome Blast from the Past: Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

Most pediatric specialists who began practicing medicine in the mid-1960s have probably never seen a case of vitamin K deficiency bleeding. Robert Sidonio, MD, had seen just one, and that was during his fellowship. And then, in February 2013, an infant came in to the emergency room with bleeding in the brain, one of the most…

The End of “Under 12″
The End of “Under 12″ 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

UNOS board eliminates age classification for child lung transplant candidates and alters rules for pediatric heart transplants. Many in the pediatric field were surprised last year when a federal judge ordered that a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl with cystic fibrosis be added to the national adult waiting list for a double-lung transplant. She had spent 18 months…

Antibiotics Alone are a Successful Treatment for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis in Children
Antibiotics Alone are a Successful Treatment for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis in Children 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis is a reasonable alternative to surgery that leads to less pain and fewer missed school days, according to a pilot study. The research, led by a team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and published online April 12 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, is…

Gene Therapy’s Road to Redemption
Gene Therapy’s Road to Redemption 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

Fifteen years ago, gene therapy suffered a highly visible fatality, leaving the field in shambles. Now, one team’s efforts at gene therapy for muscular dystrophy suggest the field may finally be on track to deliver on its initial promise. During the first few weeks of September in 1999, a 36-year-old air traffic controller from South…

Aiming for Zero
Aiming for Zero 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

Efforts to eliminate preventable harm in pediatric care are making progress. But can we make it to zero? In October 2008, Richard Brilli, MD, stood in a silent conference room, waiting for his audience to digest the news he’d just delivered: hundreds of significant harm events are identified each year at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and…

By the Book: Anticoagulation for CHD
By the Book: Anticoagulation for CHD 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

The American Heart Association (AHA) has released its first evidence-based guidelines on anticoagulation in congenital heart disease (CHD). Anticoagulation is a key element in managing patients with congenital heart disease. Despite the therapy’s widespread use, there are no established guidelines on anticoagulants in this patient population, which often leads to inconsistency and guesswork in how…

A Knowledge Gap
A Knowledge Gap 150 150 Kelli Whitlock Burton

Study suggests many pediatricians feel unqualified to treat genetic conditions.