Surplus Hospital Equipment goes International for Reuse

When imagining a hospital, one may visualize an emergency room, crowded with patients waiting in chairs, and receptionists fingering through medical files behind desks or in filing cabinets. However, this is not necessarily the case for hospitals in developing countries. Global Links Deputy Director Angela Garcia says the kinds of equipment that the old Children's Hospital in Oakland have in surplus, like waiting room chairs, filing cabinets, and desks, are sometimes limited or nonexistent in hospitals in countries like Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras and other developing countries. She expects between 25 to 30 truckloads of this basic but essential equipment to be refurbished and sent to places where it is needed.

Induced Hypothermia for Newborns with Brain Injury

Neonatologists at UPMC have developed an induced hypothermia protocol to help newborns who are suffering from a brain injury known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) due to a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain. HIE occurs in 1 to 2 of every 1,000 infants and has a 40% fatality rate. In addition, 40% of the survivors suffer severe long-term disabilities.
Dr. Richard Telesco, a neonatologist at UPMC who developed the protocol, says they've known for many years that hypothermia can reduced the energy demands of the body and therefore protect the brain, but not until now could they do it safely. Dr. Telesco says the newborn must be cooled to 92.3 degrees for 72 hours, and the process must begin within 6 hours or the damage to the brain could be too catastrophic. Dr. Telesco says without the whole-body cooling, restoring the blood flow can actually create toxins as the blood goes to damaged brain cells and increases brain swelling. He says the key after the 72 hours of hypothermia is to slowly warm the infant.
Telesco says they have a neonatal transport team that can fly or drive to pick up the endangered infant and being the process on site and continue it during transport till the baby is placed in a cooling unit at Children's Hospital or Magee Hospital.

Children's Hospital Brings Renowned Asthma Researcher

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh named Dr. Fernando Holguin as clinical director of the new Pediatric Environmental Medicine Program. Dr. Holguin and his team are to initiate a long-term research study later this year. The research will begin by pinpointing regional communities that have asthma problems and studying environmental risk factors that might impact asthma in those regions. Dr. Holguin says asthma is very complex, and a variety of environmental factors could cause it, including air pollution, pest infestations, and possibly, childhood obesity. Once risks are identified, he says research will then focus on developing education and treatment strategies for those communities.

Dr. Holguin comes to Pittsburgh from Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, where he was the director of Emory's Asthma Translational Research Program.

Genetic Mutations may have link to Transplant Rejection in Patients

Transplant rejection may be linked to a genetic mutation found in some recipients, according to a recent study at Children's Hospital. Principal Investigator Dr. Rakesh Sindhi says these mutation can better predict who will experience rejection before having a transplant. These are all genes that "you and I carry," Sindhi explains, but certain ones may prove to have this correllation.

In the future, these predictions will provide more personalized anti-rejection treatment for patients. Those who carry the mutation will receive heavier medication does, while others who do not will receive the normal amount. Once more studies are done on genetic mutation, and FDA has approval of the technique, Sindhi says doctors can begin practicing the new treatment.

Hard Head Patrol Promotes Helmets

For the 4th year Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh will begin its Hard Head Patrol this summer. The program aims at encouraging children to wear helmets when participating in wheeled activities such as biking, skateboarding, or in-line skating. Local community volunteers run the reward-based program by giving out free lunch coupons to children they see wearing helmets and giving out coupons for a free helmet to those who are not wearing one. Hospital Injury Prevention Coordinator Chris Vitale says the entire community needs to work to promote helmet-wearing not just the parents of children. A helmet law was also enacted in 1995 requiring that all children under 12 wear a helmet while riding a bike. Last summer more than 125 certified Hard Head volunteers handed out 1,020 helmets, 293 coupons for helmet fittings, and 3,400 free lunch coupons to kids wearing helmets properly.