Equipment and Supplies Commons^™

Brief Review : Listening Closely--Stethoscopes, Hygiene Gaps, And The Unfinished Work Of Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention, James Espinosa, Swet Patel, Robin Lahr, Sergey Medlenov, Russell Mordecai, James Lee, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a persistent patient safety challenge. While hand hygiene has received sustained institutional focus, stethoscope hygiene remains inconsistently addressed despite longstanding evidence of contamination. Stethoscopes function as portable, patient-to-patient devices that may serve as under-recognized fomites in emergency and inpatient settings. Prior pilot work demonstrated that clinicians were unable to reliably distinguish between disposable and standard stethoscopes, and that perceived acoustic degradation from a diaphragm barrier was minimal. These findings suggest that acoustic concerns may not represent a primary barrier to hygiene-enhancing strategies. This brief review examines the literature surrounding stethoscope contamination and cleaning behavior, frames the …

Comparative Evaluation Of Iris And Traditional Feeding Tube Placement Methods: A Review Of The Literature, Justin Le Oms-Ii, Nishant Patel Oms-Iii, Amy Glasofer Phd, Drnp, Rn, Emilio Mazza Md, Phd

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Enteral nutrition (EN) is preferred in patients with functional gastrointestinal tracts. Traditional feeding tube placement methods are time-consuming, radiation-dependent, and prone to misplacement. IRIS and electromagnetic (EM)-guided systems enable real-time bedside placement, though comparative data remain limited.

Methods

A qualitative literature review was conducted using PubMed (2004–2024) to identify studies evaluating IRIS technology compared with EM-guided and traditional placement methods. Outcomes of interest included procedural success, safety, complication rates, efficiency, and cost considerations across ICU and ward populations.

Results

IRIS demonstrated success rates ranging from 75–91.7%, with higher success observed in ICU and sedated patients. EM-guided placement showed consistent …

A Retrospective Comparison Of Dobhoff Nasogastric Feeding Tubes To Iris Feeding Tubes, Nishant Patel Oms-Iii, Justin Le Oms-Ii, Amy Glasofer Phd, Drnp, Rn, Emilio Mazza Md, Phd

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Postpyloric feeding is essential in critically ill patients. Traditional Dobhoff tube (DHT) placement, often performed blindly, is widely used due to low cost but carries risks of misplacement and reliance on radiographic confirmation. In contrast, Kangaroo™ IRIS (camera-guided) technology enables real-time visualization during placement, potentially improving accuracy and workflow, though at higher cost.

Hypothesis

IRIS-guided placement provides comparable safety and success to DHT, with similar procedural efficacy without increasing complications.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the electronic medical records from multiple Virtua Health hospitals (01/01/13, through 01/31/25), including 200 patients undergoing nasogastric tube placement with DHT …

Pcl And Pegdma Nanoyarns Feasibility For Antimicrobial Suture Applications, Wynn Bastianelli, Dominique Hassinger, Vincent Beachley, Sean Mcmillan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Abstract Title: PCL and PEGDMA Nanoyarns Feasibility for Antimicrobial Suture

Nanofibers represent an innovative class of materials with diverse applications, including tissue engineering and drug delivery.¹ Among the most promising areas of research is their use in surgical sutures, particularly for complex orthopedic injuries with high re-tear rates. Polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers have shown promise as alternatives to standard sutures as their unique properties support superior healing compared to standard materials.² Our lab aims to further optimize these healing capabilities by adding Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA), a molecule that tethers peptides to PCL nanoyarns, developing a suture with greater …

Carbon Footprint Of Inhaled Anesthetics – Do The Risks Outweigh The Benefits?, Liam Kerrick, Joseph Moschella

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Global warming presents many challenges to the healthcare system. Not only does the increasing global temperature have detrimental health effects itself, but the healthcare sector is also a huge contributor to global warming. One big contributor to global warming is the use of inhaled anesthetics, which possess global warming potentials up to 2,000 times greater than carbon dioxide. Recent proposals, such as a prospective ban of desflurane in 2026 by the European Commission, demonstrate the need to reevaluate many of the common practices within anesthesiology. This review looks to investigate the environmental impact, cost, and clinical efficacy of various anesthetic …

Comparing Functional Outcomes Between 3d Printed Acetabular Cups And Traditional Prosthetic Implants In Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review And Meta Analysis, Ryan St. John, Seth Spicer, Mo Hadaya, Hanna Brancaccio, Seungkyu Park, Sean Mcmillan

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

OBJECTIVE: The primary research aim was to determine if the use of traditional or 3D printed prosthesis resulted in better functional outcome scores in hip arthroplasty.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted utilizing the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Six databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, WebOfScience, and Cochrane Library, Google Scholar) were searched yielding 1117 article titles and abstracts. Rayyan.ai was used to detect duplicates (n = 246) and for manual screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included were controlled studies of any publication time that assessed Harris Hip Score (HHS) at baseline and twelve months. Six papers were sought for …

Cutaneous Adverse Effects From Diabetes Devices In Pediatric Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Systematic Review, Alicia Podwojniak, Joseph Flemming, Isabella J Tan, Hira Ghani, Zachary Neubauer, Anne Jones

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions (CSIIs) are the current standard treatment devices for type 1 diabetes (T1D) management. With a high prevalence of T1D beginning in pediatrics and carrying into adulthood, insufficient glycemic control leads to poor patient outcomes. Dermatologic complications such as contact dermatitis, lipodystrophies, and inflammatory lesions are among those associated with CGM and CSII, which reduce glycemic control and patient compliance.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to explore the current literature surrounding dermatologic complications of CGM and CSII as well as the impact on patient outcomes.

METHODS: A systematic review of the …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Sanitation Practices And Anxiety In The General Population, Leah Cliatt, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Illness anxiety and fear of contracting coronavirus increased considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. The media, being in lockdown, and cyberchondria had the largest impact on the population’s anxiety surrounding illness. While this kind of reaction to illness is expected during the pandemic, there is limited data on post-pandemic illness anxiety levels in the general population. Patients’ perception of disease impacts medicine at every level; medical professionals need to understand the concerns and fears of their patients in order to treat the post-pandemic patient. We hypothesized that sanitation practices and anxiety surrounding illness have not returned to baseline pre-COVID-19 …

Use Of Point-Of-Care Ultrasound In The Diagnosis Of Postpartum Cardiomyopathy, Muhammad Noman, Frank A. Wheeler, James A. Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Postpartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), also known as peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare form of heart failure (HF) that occurs in the late stages of pregnancy or in the early postpartum period. For it to be classified as PPCM, it must occur in the absence of another identifiable cause for HF and have left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction with an LV ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 45%. Here we present the case of a 46-year-old female G3P2 presented 5 days postpartum cesarean section delivery in acute respiratory distress where point of care ultrasound was used for assessment of the lungs to visualize …

Unveiling The Potential: The Role Of Ai-Enhanced Ecg In Cardiovascular Disease Detection, Alisha Vincent

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a widely utilized, non-invasive, cost-effective cardiac test. Its integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) has empowered it to become a potent screening tool and a predictor for various cardiovascular diseases, especially in asymptomatic individuals. Objective: This review investigates the utility of AI-powered ECG in early detection of cardiac conditions, focusing on conditions such as low ejection fraction (LEF), atrial fibrillation (AF), aortic valve stenosis (AVS), and cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Methods: A literature review spanning 2018 to 2024 was conducted, analyzing 10 articles - 3 on AF, 3 on AVS, 3 on LEF, and …

Singh Thattha Beard Covering Technique And Quantitative Fit Testing Of A Tight-Fitting Filtering Facepiece (Ffp3), Harmann Singh, Allen Ecker, Todd Schachter, Thomas Boyle, Matthew Vanek

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Singh Thattha beard covering technique when quantitatively fit testing tight-fitting filtering face masks (N95 respirators) on male members of the Sikh religious group. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sikh healthcare workers faced the difficult decision of either shaving their unshorn beards to continue their profession or finding alternative solutions to maintain adequate respiratory protection. The study used a quantitative fit test method to measure the number of particles inside and outside the mask, calculating a fit factor. Participants performed exercises while wearing an N95 respirator and then repeated the exercises with a …

Case Report: Overdrive Pacing In Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia, Alyssa A. Baldini, Kishan B. Patel

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 67-year-old male who presented to the emergency department (ED) for palpitations and complaint of his automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) firing at home who had multiple episodes of persistent ventricular tachycardia (VT) during his course of stay in the ED. Patients with pacemakers and AICDs can present an additional layer of complexity when treating these conditions. Temporary overdrive pacing (TOP) should be considered as a treatment to correct refractory ventricular tachycardia in patients with implanted pacemakers and AICDs presenting to the ED.

Utilizing Primary Human Airway Mucociliary Tissue Cultures To Model Ramifications Of Chronic E-Cigarette Usage., Vincent J Manna, Shannon Dwyer, Vanessa Pizutelli, Salvatore J Caradonna

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Electronic cigarettes are battery powered devices that use a vape-liquid to produce a vapor that is inhaled. A consequence of the rise in e-cigarette usage was the 2019 emergence of a vaping-induced respiratory disease denoted as 'e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury' (EVALI). One of the suspected causes of EVALI is Vitamin E Acetate (VEA), which was found to be a diluent in certain illicit vape-pens, whereas nicotine is commonly diluted in equal parts propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PG:VG). The prevalent use of e-cigarettes and the emergence of a novel illness has made understanding how e-cigarette vapors affect our …

The Effectiveness Of Disinfection Protocols In Medical School Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Labs., Harrison A. Patrizio, Riley Phyu, Thomas Boyle, Todd Schachter

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

CONTEXT: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare-associated infections have taken center stage. Healthcare has adjusted workflows to accommodate for more robust disinfecting regiments to help protect the community. This has resulted in the need for medical institutions to reevaluate the current disinfection protocols down to the student level. The osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) laboratory provides an optimal avenue for assessing the effectiveness of medical students' ability to clean examination tables. With OMM laboratories having a high level of interaction, adequate disinfection is important for the health and safety of students and teaching faculties.

OBJECTIVES: This study will evaluate the …

Practicality In Pocus: Benefits Of Ultrasound Training In Medical Education, Robert Martin, Ho An Lau, Ryan Morrison, Kate Deiling

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

As point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) becomes an integral component of healthcare, both undergraduate and graduate medical POCUS education is urgently necessary in curricula. Despite the apparent need of POCUS curricula, there remains a lingering question: Are there evidence-based benefits to POCUS training in undergraduate and/or graduate medical education settings? This systematic review utilized PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus to identify articles of interest that met the inclusion criteria and relevance to undergraduate and/or graduate medical education. Qualitative evaluation of research was conducted to identify common themes for benefits of POCUS and the requirements or characteristics for effective POCUS educational curricula. Results …

Isolated Temazepam Overdose: A Unique Case Of An Unresponsive Female, Eric Doane

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cases of acute overdose presenting to the emergency department pose a great challenge given that history can sometimes be limited or at times be inaccurate. While naloxone is routinely given in the field to help reduce opiate’s sedating effects, the routine use of flumazenil has not been routinely adopted in cases of benzodiazepine overdose. This is because, unlike naloxone, there are many medications that act on the GABA receptor, and flumazenil is only specific for binding to the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor. This can lead to an unmasking of other medications that may be co-ingested that also effect the GABA receptor leading …

Design And Preliminary Testing Of A Multi-Use 3d-Printed Splint For Wilderness Medicine, Ryan Desrochers, John Desrochers

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Splinting devices are commonplace in emergency medicine, as musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries account for a majority of nonfatal events in wilderness medicine. Current splint designs, such as the SAM splint, sacrifice site-specific stability for their portability. This leads to the need for a similarly portable, but more securely fitting splint device. This design aims to provide a lightweight, multi-use, reusable, biodegradable, and inexpensive solution for splinting in wilderness medicine. A thin plate constructed of polylactic acid extruded from a 3D printer becomes easily malleable after submersion in hot water and can be form fitted to almost any location on …

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome (Pubs) In A Patient With A Chronic Indwelling Foley, Kelsey Murray, Kishan B. Patel

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a rare medical condition characterized by the appearance of purple discoloration in the urine collection bag of patients who use catheters for urinary drainage. PUBS is primarily seen in elderly, female, and institutionalized patients who have chronic indwelling catheters. The discoloration occurs due to the presence of certain bacteria that produce pigments, which react with the plastic materials of the catheter and urine collection bag, leading to the formation of a purple color. In addition to the aesthetic concerns, PUBS may also indicate an underlying urinary tract infection or other medical conditions that require …

Importance Of Serial Ekgs In The Emergency Room Setting, Swet Patel, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Chest pain is one of the most common chief complaints that presents to the emergency department. More than 8 million patients with chest related complaints present each year with about 10% of all ED visits comprise of cardiovascular emergencies. Immediate evaluation is the standard of care to differentiate between life threatening conditions and non-life threatening ones with the use of 12-lead electrocardiograph (EKG) and bedside monitors. The 12 lead EKG remains gold standard for initial screening and evaluating patients with chest pain and angina equivalents. The test is fairly inexpensive and noninvasive with providing vital information about cardiac rhythm. The …

The Effectiveness Of Cleaning Protocols In Medical School Omm Labs By Medical Students, Harrison Patrizio, Riley Phyu, Thomas Boyle, Todd Schachter

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfection in healthcare has taken center stage. Healthcare has adjusted workflows to accommodate for more robust cleaning regimens to help protect the community. This has resulted in the need for medical institutions to reevaluate the current cleaning protocols down to the student level. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) lab provides an optimal avenue for assessing medical student’s examination table cleaning effectiveness. With OMM labs being an activity with a high level of interaction, the quality of examination table cleaning is important for the health and safety of students and teaching faculties. Our study highlights that …

The Angiovac® Device Limits Lethal Complications Of Sepsis And Severe Infective Endocarditis With A Large Tricuspid Valve Vegetation: A Case Report, Dua Xiao, Raeann Dalton, Adam Fineman, Michael Benz, Antonios Tsompanidis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: Infectious endocarditis of the tricuspid valve is a common complication of intravenous drug use. Endocarditis caused by viridans streptococci can lead to heart valve vegetations which may be life threatening due to the potential for embolism and obstruction. Management of large valvular vegetations is often difficult due to the risks involved with open heart surgery, especially in patients with comorbid conditions. The AngioVac® device has been shown in rare cases to be effective at debulking vegetations without the need for invasive surgery.

Case Presentation: We present a patient with a history of intravenous heroin use disorder, hepatitis C, spinal …

Case Report: Anaphylactic Reaction To Magnesium Sulfate, Nicholas Coan, Kelly Schiers, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 65-year-old female who prior to being discharged from the hospital developed an anaphylactic reaction after receiving an intravenous magnesium sulfate infusion. After extensive literature review, there are few documented hypersensitivity reactions documented. This case report is to highlight a known human response, anaphylaxis, but in response to the repletion of an essential electrolyte to human life, magnesium.

Handheld Bedside Pocus In The Evaluation Of Neck Swelling: A Case Of Ludwig's Angina, Alex Gechlik, Frank Wheeler, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Ludwig's angina is a rare and life threatening cellulitic infection, first described by German physician, Wilhelm Frederick Von Ludwig in 1836, as a gangrenous infection of the soft tissue floor of the mouth and neck. The potential to spread rapidly to contiguous tissues surrounding the upper airways, notably the glottis, resulted in Ludwig's angina carrying a high mortality rate near 50% in the pre- antibiotic era. It necessitates rapid detection and management to assure respiratory compromise does not occur. This case study is novel as it illustrates handheld bedside POCUS utilization in diagnosing Ludwig’s Angina.

Infective Endocarditis Secondary To Needle Embolization To The Heart, Tony Elias, David Barsoum, Robert Malak, Veyola Rezkalla, Maziyar Daneshvar, Howard Weinberg, Rafail Beshai

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Needle embolisms in the heart are very rare, even though the number of intravenous drug users (IVDUs) has increased over the past 10 years.Due to varied symptomology-chest pain, dyspnoea, fever, or asymptomatic, this remains a complex and likely underdiagnosed condition. We describe a 31-year-old female with past medical history of IV drug use who presented to the emergency room with heart palpitations and described it as her “heart feels funny” and shortness of breath. She acknowledged intravenous (IV) heroin use and stated that the last time to use IV drugs was 2 days before coming to the hospital.

To our …

The Effectiveness Of Examination Table Cleaning Protocols In Osteopathic Family Medicine Offices, Riley Phyu, Harrison A. Patrizio, Thomas Boyle, Todd Schachter

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Contaminated environmental surfaces are responsible for acquisition of healthcare associated infections. In 2002 there were approximately 1.7 million healthcare associated infections, resulting in about 99,000 annual deaths. Appropriate disinfection of environmentally contaminated surfaces are required to reduce transmission of pathogens. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence is being used in hospital settings to audit the cleanliness in the hospital settings. However, there is a paucity of literature in different healthcare settings outside of hospital settings. This may unintentionally result in a more relaxed cleaning protocol in outpatient settings.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of disinfecting protocol in osteopathic family medicine offices using …

Human Airway Mucociliary Tissue Cultures Chronically Exposed To E-Cigarette Vapors Exhibit Altered Cell Populations And Increased Secretion Of Immunomodulatory Cytokines, Vanessa Pizutelli, Vincent Manna, Shannon Dwyer, Salvatore Caradonna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Vape-pens or electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are handheld battery powered devices that use a vape-liquid to produce a vapor that is inhaled by the user. The active ingredients in commercial vape-liquids are commonly nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabidiol. A consequence of the rise in e-cigarette usage was the 2019 emergence of a vaping-induced respiratory disease denoted ‘e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury’ (EVALI). One of the suspected causes of EVALI is Vitamin E Acetate (VEA), which was found to be a diluent in certain illicit tetrahydrocannabinol vape-pens, whereas nicotine is commonly diluted in equal parts propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PG:VG). The …

Brief Review: Iv Fluid Choice In The Emergency Department, Kaywan Saed, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Normal saline and balanced crystalloids, such as lactated Ringer's (LR) and Plasma-Lyte A, are commonly used in the emergency setting for fluid resuscitation. However, there has been growing interest in recent years in whether balanced crystalloids may be superior to normal saline, particularly in critically ill patients.

Normal saline has been the traditional fluid of choice for decades due to its widespread availability, low cost, and presumed safety. However, normal saline has a high chloride concentration (154 mmol/L), which can lead to hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and other adverse effects, such as renal vasoconstriction and reduced renal blood flow.

In contrast, …

Rate Of Intraoperative Proximal Femoral Fractures With Automated Broaching, Tyler Radack, Hope Skibicki, Julian Zangrilli, Ruchir Nanavati, Cole Kleinman, Michael Harrer

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Intraoperative proximal femur fractures (PFF) occur in 3.7% of total hip arthroplasties (THA) using the standard mallet broaching technique and increase a patient’s risk of revision surgery from 3.4% to 10%. The Depuy KINCISE automatic broaching system is designed to attenuate the risk of these fractures by applying consistent co-linear force to the broach. The aim of this study is to determine if the KINCISE system decreases the rate of intraoperative PFF fracture during THA compared to the standard mallet technique.

Alternate Site Pacing And The Impact On Intracellular Calcium Handling During The Post-Extrasystolic Cardiac Cycle, Kent Ozcan, Lawrence Mulligan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Objective: Previous work has shown that alternate site (RV apex) results in myocardial dysfunction. With the development of tools to place endocardial pacing leads in locations that create physiological pacing activation, we sought to evaluate how ventricular trans-septal or left ventricular apical placement pacing differs from right atrial pacing. We will evaluate how these chronic pacing modes impact the PR and RF at baseline, 0, and 16 weeks in the canine heart.

Methods: Quantitative analysis will be performed on previously generated data. The data set includes pacing of 15 dogs total (8 with trans-septal leads & 7 with left ventricular …

Use Of Point Of Care Ultrasound In The Emergency Department For Diagnosis Of Femoral Pseudoaneurysm, Stephen Janssen, Jeffrey Gardecki, Giovanna Finocchio

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm after puncture or intervention of the femoral artery is a rare complication of arterial surgical intervention occurring in 0.05-0.50% of diagnostic and therapeutic catheterizations and can present weeks after initial presentation. Today we present a 57-year-old gentleman 3 months status post femoral artery stent who presented with swelling to his right groin. Point of care ultrasound was used to diagnose an actively bleeding pseudoaneurysm with hematoma that ultimately led to repeat stenting. This case shows how point of care ultrasound can expedite diagnosis and intervention and is a useful tool for the emergency physician at initial presentation.