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Research

Isoelectric Electroencephalography in Infants and Toddlers during Anesthesia for Surgery: An International Observational Study

Intraoperative isoelectric electroencephalography (EEG) has been associated with hypotension and postoperative delirium in adults. This international prospective observational study sought to determine the prevalence of isoelectric EEG in young children during anesthesia.

Research

Behavioural and neuropsychological outcomes in children exposed in utero to maternal labour epidural analgesia

Recent studies report conflicting results regarding the relationship between labour epidural analgesia (LEA) in mothers and neurodevelopmental disorders in their offspring. We evaluated behavioural and neuropsychological test scores in children of mothers who used LEA.

Research

Perioperative Care Program

Listed are The Kids Research Institute Australia research teams involved in our Perioperative Care Program. This program sits under the Chronic and Severe Diseases research theme.

Research

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric anaesthesia research as evidenced by the contrasting recruitment experiences of centres in Australia and Scotland

At two hospitals in Western Australia, we conducted a prospective, open-label, randomised, controlled trial of 240 patients undergoing tonsillectomy to investigate the effect of chewing a confectionery jelly snake on postoperative nausea and vomiting. The results were published in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine. Recruitment for this study was completed uneventfully between July 2018 and August 2019.

Research

Clinical utility of preoperative pulmonary function testing in pediatrics

Perioperative respiratory adverse events pose a significant risk in pediatric anesthesia, and identifying these risks is vital. Traditionally, this is assessed using history and examination. However, the perioperative risk is multifactorial, and children with complex medical backgrounds such as chronic lung disease or obesity may benefit from additional objective preoperative pulmonary function tests.

Research

Kids voices: Exploring children's perspective of tonsillectomy surgery

Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg BRVUS MD, PhD, DEAA, FANZA Chair of Paediatric anaesthesia, University of Western Australia; Consultant Paediatric

Research

Perioperative management of infant inguinal hernia surgery; a review of the recent literature

Inguinal hernia surgery is one of the most common electively performed surgeries in infants. The common nature of inguinal hernia combined with the high-risk population involving a predominance of preterm infants makes this a particular area of interest for those concerned with their perioperative care. Despite a large volume of literature in the area of infant inguinal hernia surgery, there remains much debate amongst anesthetists, surgeons and neonatologists regarding the optimal perioperative management of these patients.

Research

Patient and Process Outcomes among Pediatric Patients Undergoing Appendectomy during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Retrospective Cohort Study

COVID-19 forced healthcare systems to make unprecedented changes in clinical care processes. The authors hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted timely access to care, perioperative processes, and clinical outcomes for pediatric patients undergoing primary appendectomy.

Research

Taste-Masked Flucloxacillin Powder Part 2: Formulation Optimisation Using the Mixture Design Approach and Storage Stability

Flucloxacillin is prescribed to treat skin infections but its highly bitter taste is poorly tolerated in children. This work describes the application of the D-optimal mixture experimental design to identify the optimal component ratio of flucloxacillin, Eudragit EPO and palmitic acid to prepare flucloxacillin taste-masked microparticles that would be stable to storage and would inhibit flucloxacillin release in the oral cavity while facilitating the total release of the flucloxacillin load in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Research

Remote after-care using smartphones: A feasibility study of monitoring children's pain with automated SMS messaging

Monitoring children's recovery postoperatively is important for routine care, research, and quality improvement. Although telephone follow-up is common, it is also time-consuming and intrusive for families. Using SMS messaging to communicate with families regarding their child's recovery has the potential to address these concerns. While a previous survey at our institution indicated that parents were willing to communicate with the hospital by SMS, data on response rates for SMS-based postoperative data collection is limited, particularly in pediatric populations.