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Patient and Process Outcomes among Pediatric Patients Undergoing Appendectomy during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Retrospective Cohort StudyCOVID-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.
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Clinical utility of preoperative pulmonary function testing in pediatricsPerioperative 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.
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Kids voices: Exploring children's perspective of tonsillectomy surgeryBritta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg MD, PhD, DEAA, FANZA Chair of Paediatric anaesthesia, University of Western Australia; Consultant Paediatric
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More than half of front-line healthcare workers unknowingly used an N95/P2 mask without adequate airborne protection: An audit in a tertiary institutionFront-line staff routinely exposed to aerosol-generating procedures are at a particularly high risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. We aimed to assess the adequacy of respiratory protection provided by available N95/P2 masks to staff routinely exposed to aerosol-generating procedures.
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The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in children, Australia, November 2020 - March 2021Peter Britta Richmond Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP MD, PhD, DEAA, FANZA Head, Vaccine Trials Group Chair of Paediatric anaesthesia,
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Remote after-care using smartphones: A feasibility study of monitoring children's pain with automated SMS messagingMonitoring 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.
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An assessment of opioids on respiratory depression in children with and without obstructive sleep apneaObstructive sleep apnea is a risk factor for respiratory depression following opioid administration as well as opioid-induced hyperalgesia. Little is known on how obstructive sleep apnea status is associated with central ventilatory depression in pediatric surgical patients given a single dose of fentanyl.

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Perioperative Care ProgramListed 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.
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Patient-related factors impact the implementation of inpatient antibiotic allergy delabelingThe clinical consequences of an antibiotic allergy label are detrimental, impacting health care delivery and patient outcomes. We assessed hospital inpatients with intent to offer free antibiotic allergy labeling assessment within a randomized controlled trial. We sought to determine the feasibility of establishing an adult antibiotic allergy delabeling service in a Western Australian tertiary public hospital.
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Jet versus vibrating mesh nebulizer for tobramycin aerosol in spontaneously breathing children with tracheostomies: A simulation studyTracheostomy tubes act as foreign bodies, predisposing the surrounding airway to respiratory infections. Initial treatment for infections is topical - nebulized tobramycin - although guidelines for standardized treatment are lacking.