As the opioid crisis grew into a national epidemic, the nine pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Akron Children’s began analyzing their own pain prescribing practices and how they compared with peers. This led to a standardized protocol that has reduced the amount of narcotics being prescribed by 54 percent. “The opioid epidemic, a multifactorial issue with […]
Multi-center study makes the case for heart catheterization technique pioneered at Akron Children’s
As Dr. John Clark stands over a patient under anesthetic for a heart catheterization procedure at Akron Children’s, he points to a red image shaped like a caterpillar on the wide screen. That’s the ablation catheter inside the child’s heart. He will use the catheter tip to destroy an abnormal electrical pathway causing a heart […]
Akron Children’s work in Haiti is showcased in ‘Open Hearts,’ a CIFF documentary
Akron Children’s work with St. Damien Hospital in Haiti takes center stage in a new film being shown at the 2021 Cleveland International Film Festival. The 59-minute film, called “Open Hearts,” can be streamed for $10 from April 8 to 20. Of that, a $1 donation goes to the nonprofit MedWish. You can watch a […]
Surgery to repair leaky valve mends 4-year-old’s “broken” heart
Addisyn Piekarski and her mom, Kristen, had just the right outfit in mind for Addisyn’s Jan. 13 follow-up appointment with her heart surgeon, Dr. Robert Stewart. Sporting a shirt covered in small hearts, with a large, sequin heart in the center, seemed fitting to meet with the man who just 8 days earlier had repaired […]
Magnetic growth rods help stabilize scoliosis for Suffield 3rd grader
Patrick Carr is no stranger to doctors or to Akron Children’s for that matter. Born with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes him to develop benign tumors in various areas of his body, he sees specialists in neurology, endocrinology and cardiology, and recently he added orthopedics to the mix. It was in 2018 at an […]