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Robert Edward Gross (1905-1988): Ligation Of A Patent Ductus Arteriosus And The Birth Of A Specialty., Alexander V. Chalphin, Bs, Charles J. Yeo, Md, Scott W. Cowan, Md, Stacey Milan, Md

Department of Surgery Gibbon Society Historical Profiles

The early 20th century saw an explosion in surgical expertise. Specialties dedicated to delicate organs such as the heart and vulnerable populations, like children, were in their infancy. Dr. William E. Ladd, the father of pediatric surgery, founded the first dedicated department of pediatric surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1910. At the time, attempts at cardiac surgery almost universally ended in death of the patient. The first successful surgical treatment of the cardiac valves would not occur for another 15 years, and the great vessels would remain out of reach for decades more. Dr. Robert E. Gross, the shy …

Dr. R. Tait Mckenzie: Pioneer And Legacy To Physiatry., John F. Ditunno, Jr, Richard E. Verville

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Obesity And Mortality: Are The Risks Declining? Evidence From Multiple Prospective Studies In The United States., Tapan S. Mehta, Kevin R. Fontaine, Scott W. Keith, Sripal S. Bangalore, Gustavo De Los Campos, Alfred Bartolucci, Nicholas M. Pajewski, David B. Allison

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

We evaluated whether the obesity-associated years of life lost (YLL) have decreased over calendar time. We implemented a meta-analysis including only studies with two or more serial body mass index (BMI) assessments at different calendar years. For each BMI category (normal weight: BMI 18.5 to <25 >[reference]; overweight: BMI 25 to60, YLL for grade 1 obesity decreased by 1.02 years (P < 0.001) and increased by 0.63 years for grade 2-3 obesity (P = 0.63). Among women aged ≤60, YLL for grade 1 obesity decreased by 4.21 years (P < 0.001) and by 4.97 years (P < 0.001) for grade 2-3 obesity. In women aged >60, YLL for grade 1 obesity decreased by 3.98 years (P < 0.001) and by 2.64 years (P = 0.001) for grade 2-3 obesity. Grade 1 obesity's association with decreased longevity has reduced for older Caucasian men. For Caucasian women, there is evidence of a decline in the obesity YLL association across all ages.

Who's Your Expert? Use Of An Expert Opinion Survey To Inform Development Of American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines., Joel Yager, Robert Kunkle, Laura J. Fochtmann, Sara M. Reid, Robert Plovnick, James E. Nininger, Joel J. Silverman, Michael J. Vergare

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: For many clinical questions in psychiatry, high-quality evidence is lacking. Credible practice guidelines for such questions depend on transparent, reproducible, and valid methods for assessing expert opinion. The objective of this study was to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a method for assessing expert opinion to aid in the development of practice guidelines by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

METHODS: A "snowball" process initially soliciting nominees from three sets of professional leaders was used to identify experts on a guideline topic (psychiatric evaluation). In a Web-based survey, the experts were asked to rate their level of agreement that …

Francis F. Maury, M.D. (1840 To 1879): An Often Forgotten Pioneer In Early American Surgery., Guillaume S. Chevrollier, B.S., Scott W. Cowan, Md, Charles J. Yeo, Md, John C. Kairys, Md

Department of Surgery Gibbon Society Historical Profiles

Francis F. Maury (Fig. 1) was born on August 9, 1840, in Danville, Kentucky, where he was raised on a farm by his mother and father. His father was an Episcopal clergyman of Huguenot descent, whose forefathers had fled from France to escape religious persecution. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Center College in the summer of 1860, he entered medical school at the University of Virginia. After one full term, he matriculated to Philadelphia’s Jefferson Medical College and completed his medical education as a private student under the direction of Dr. Samuel D. Gross.1, 2 He obtained …

Human Judgment And Health Care Policy., Benjamin Djulbegovic, Jason Beckstead, David B. Nash

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

News In Brief

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

Fernando Blanco, PhD, is working under the mentorship of Jonathan Brody, PhD, Director of the Division of Surgical Research, as a Clinical Pharmacology Fellow. Dr. Blanco came to Jefferson under a training grant with Drs. Scott Waldman and Walter Kraft in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. His work focuses on chemoresistance mechanisms of pancreatic cancer cells.

The annual Surgery Resident Research Presentations will take place on Thursday, May 29, 2014, from 7 – 8:30 a.m. in Foerderer Auditorium in the College Building. All are welcome to attend.

The annual Templeton Grand Rounds lecture is scheduled for 8 a.m. …

Gail Coleman Directs Generous Gift To Pancreatic Cancer Research

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

Gail Coleman of Alexandria, Virginia spent three decades as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor. Now retired, she enjoys traveling, volunteer activities, and taking history classes at George Mason University. And she still utilizes the analytical skills of an attorney. Indeed, before recommending a $100,000 grant to Jefferson (see “Changing Lives Through Research” on p. 3), Gail educated herself on the landscape of pancreatic cancer research, met with several institutions and evaluated a number of potential projects.

Gail’s initial decision to support pancreatic cancer research was not analytical, but deeply personal: The disease took her mother in 1989, …

Susan Lanza-Jacoby, Phd

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

It’s been 35 years since the Chair of Surgery at the time, Dr. Francis E. Rosato, Sr., hired Susan Lanza-Jacoby, PhD, to develop a research function within Jefferson’s Department of Surgery. Since then, her lab has been among the first to show that COX2 inhibitors are protective against the development of breast cancer. More recently, it was the first to identify that a 25-percent decrease in daily caloric intake delayed the onset of pancreatic cancer. And despite growing competition for grant dollars, Dr. Jacoby has been able to remain an independent investigator since coming to Jefferson in 1979.

Outside the …

Treating Acute Respiratory Failure

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

In March, Jefferson’s Adult ECMO Program saved the life of Kennett Square resident and entrepreneur Steve Burkes. Burkes, 59, and his wife, Caroline Henrich, an attorney, report that his symptoms started with chills and fever. Since Burkes had recently been playing with their new Amazon parrot, the couple thought perhaps he had contracted an infection from the bird. Instead, it turned out to be Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), caused by a rare bacterial infection unrelated to the parrot.

By the time Henrich drove her husband to Jennersville Regional Hospital, he was incoherent. (“I felt like I was burning up …

Area Hospitals Turn To Jefferson's Adult Ecmo Program

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

In 2010, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital introduced new capabilities for portable extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which provides both cardiac and respiratory support to individuals with severely diseased or damaged heart and lungs. Since then, the hospital has built the area’s only comprehensive, surgeon-led Adult ECMO Program that includes a dedicated unit and team of clinicians with special training and experience in using this life-saving technology.

“Our program is gaining recognition in the community, with other hospitals increasingly referring critically ill patients to our team,” says Nicholas C. Cavarocchi, MD, FACS, FCCP, Director of the Surgical Cardiac Care Unit and Professor …

From The Chair: Overview

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

One Jefferson

There is palpable excitement in the air here at Jefferson. Efforts to transform our University, led by our new President Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, are well underway. Many from our Department have contributed to the changes we see on the horizon. “Health Is All We Do”…has been embraced as our new motto.

“We will reimagine health care, health education and discovery to create unparalleled value”...has been embraced as our vision statement.

A recent extensive strategic retreat process has generated a Blueprint for Strategic Action (BSA) with four foundational enablers. These are:

• Partnerships

• Diversity

• Technology …

Use Of Antiepileptic Drugs And Lipid-Lowering Agents In The United States., Scott Mintzer, Vittorio Maio, Kathleen Foley

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: The extent to which enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs) are used as first-line treatment in the United States remains unknown. Studies suggest that EIAEDs produce elevation of serum lipids, which could require additional treatment. We assessed the current use of EIAED in monotherapy for epilepsy in the U.S., as well as the correlation between the use of EIAEDs and subsequent new prescriptions for HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors ("statins") for hyperlipidemia.

METHODS: We queried the MarketScan® databases between July 2009 and January 2013, covering 66million patients with commercial or supplemental Medicare insurance. We identified individuals who had a diagnosis of seizures, continuous …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine Use In Women During Pregnancy: Do Their Healthcare Providers Know?, Lisa Strouss, Amy Mackley, Ursula Guillen, David A Paul, Robert Locke

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health reported in 2007 that approximately 38% of United States adults have used at least one type of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). There are no studies available that assess general CAM use in US pregnant women.The objectives of our study were to determine the prevalence and type of CAM use during pregnancy at one medical center; understand who is using CAM and why they are using it; and assess the state of patients' CAM use disclosure to their obstetrical providers.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study of post-partum women was done to assess self-reported CAM …

Mary H. Gibbon: Teamwork Of The Heart., Alexandra Columbus, Ba, Scott W. Cowan, Md, Charles J. Yeo, Md, Stacey A. Milan, Md

Department of Surgery Gibbon Society Historical Profiles

Mary "Maly" Hopkinson Gibbon was born on September 25, 1903, to an affluent New England family who encouraged her to embrace her intelligence and to follow that by which she was intrigued. In doing this, Maly pursued work in scientific research, where she ultimately met her first husband, Dr. John ‘‘Jack’’ H. Gibbon. Jack and Maly were partners in every sense of the word. Their collaboration, both within and beyond the walls of the research laboratory, made it possible for the Gibbon dream of the heart–lung machine to be realized.