Bringing the Ozaki procedure to the world to repair children’s aortic valves
Children with aortic stenosis or regurgitation often need surgery to reconstruct or replace the aortic valve. However, existing bioprosthetics can fail over time, and mechanical leaflets and valves require lifelong anticoagulant therapy. Christopher Baird, MD, director of the Congenital Heart Valve Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, saw a promising alternative emerge in adult cardiac surgery: aortic ... Read More about Bringing the Ozaki procedure to the world to repair children’s aortic valves
I tried the keto diet to help my epilepsy and it changed my life
My name is Dennis. I’m 15 years old and live in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Two years ago, I started the keto diet to help my epilepsy and it changed my life. Here’s my story… I was 7 when I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I was too young to know what that really meant or ... Read More about I tried the keto diet to help my epilepsy and it changed my life
Generations of excellence in lower extremity care: Dr. Kasser and Dr. May
As an orthopedic surgeon and professor of surgery, Dr. James Kasser has spent several decades sharing his expertise in limb reconstruction with students of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Collin May was one of his students and later joined the surgical team in the Lower Extremity Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. He has spent the past ... Read More about Generations of excellence in lower extremity care: Dr. Kasser and Dr. May
Gait analysis gives runners a window into their form
Why can some runners compete in marathon after marathon while others get injured? The answer often lies in the runner’s form. According to Dr. Kristin Whitney, co-director of the Injured Runners Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, many runners aren’t aware of subtleties like how hard their feet hit the ground or the angle of their ... Read More about Gait analysis gives runners a window into their form
Limb-lengthening surgery: A look at the pros and cons
Limb length discrepancies, a leg or arm that’s shorter than the other, can occur for a number of reasons. A child may be born with a condition that causes one limb to grow more slowly than the other. An arm or leg may stop growing after a complex fracture or a fracture that heals incorrectly. ... Read More about Limb-lengthening surgery: A look at the pros and cons
SMART: A new approach to asthma management
Until recently, the typical approach to asthma involved two inhalers. In its first update since 2007, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program now recommends the use of Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART) for selected patients. Rather than an inhaled corticosteroid for daily maintenance and an inhaled bronchodilator for exacerbations, SMART uses the same ... Read More about SMART: A new approach to asthma management
Vacuum bell therapy: A nonsurgical option for chest wall depression (pectus excavatum)
Pectus excavatum is one of the most common chest wall abnormalities, affecting about 1 in 300 children. Physicians at Boston Children’s Hospital helped define early treatments for chest wall problems and continue to develop innovative approaches to pectus excavatum. These innovations include a nonsurgical procedure called vacuum bell therapy. While children with severe pectus excavatum ... Read More about Vacuum bell therapy: A nonsurgical option for chest wall depression (pectus excavatum)
Providing culturally responsive care to refugee and immigrant families
Refugee and immigrant parents and children have unique care needs. They have left their former lives behind, often due to discrimination, poverty, violence, or even ethnic cleansing operations. They may have witnessed or experienced torture or the death of a loved one. Once resettled in the U.S., parents must navigate and adjust to American culture, ... Read More about Providing culturally responsive care to refugee and immigrant families
Vertebral body tethering: Is it an option for my child?
For years, teens and tweens with idiopathic scoliosis had three treatment options: monitoring, bracing, or spinal fusion surgery. A new option emerged in 2019 when the Food and Drug Administration approved a treatment called vertebral body tethering (VBT). Compared to spinal fusion surgery, VBT offers quicker recovery times and the potential for greater spine mobility ... Read More about Vertebral body tethering: Is it an option for my child?
Inspired by Chinese finger traps, an annuloplasty ring that grows with the child
This post is part of a series on innovations to treat valvular disease in children. Read our prior posts on transcatheter valve replacement and an expandable prosthetic heart valve. Prosthetic annuloplasty rings have improved the durability of heart valve repairs in adults. Implanted at the perimeter of dilated, leaky valves, they help keep the valve ... Read More about Inspired by Chinese finger traps, an annuloplasty ring that grows with the child