News and Events from the Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders

New Faces

• This past year, we welcomed our newest attending to CHOP’s Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders: Conor Devine, MD. Devine graduated from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, undertook a residency in otolaryngology at Cleveland Clinic and completed his fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at CHOP. Upon completing his fellowship, he joined CHOP as an attending surgeon. On top of being one of Airway Surgeons, Dr. Devine is also interested in vascular and lymphatic malformations and complex lesions.

Research

• As part of its commitment to breakthroughs, the Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders established a bioengineering and biomaterials lab in 2019. Led by Riccardo Gottardi, PhD, this first-of-its-kind lab is dedicated to developing specialized devices, like in vitro models of vocal cords, and new therapeutic interventions in pediatric laryngology.

Events

• The first Airway Reunion took place on June 30, 2019. Former and current patients of the center came for a day filled with rides, games, connections and fun. It was an unforgettable day for all. We look forward to hosting another Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders Family Reunion in 2021.

Speaking Engagements and News

• Our attending physicians were faculty at the International EndoDays in San Diego, Calif., participating in discussion and teaching of various open and endoscopic surgical techniques.
• Linda Carroll, PhD, CCC/SLP, ASHA/F, our voice scientist, received notable recognition through a collaborative article that was Best Basic Science Pape” for 2018 with the Journal of Voice and Citation for Distinguished Service from the Pennsylvania Academy of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery.
• Steven Sobol, MD, MSc, presented the keynote address at the Israeli Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck, discussing Surgical Management of Laryngotracheal Clefts. Ian Jacobs, MD, also attended as panel moderator.
• Karen Zur, MD, had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (ASOHNS) 2019 Meeting in Brisbane Australia. Lectures included discussion of airway reconstruction updates, recurrent laryngeal nerve reinnervation, and intravenous Avastin therapy for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
• Karen Zur, MD, also received the honor of being the Melvin Schloss Keynote Speaker at the 13th Annual International Pediatric Otolaryngology Update Conference, Montreal, Quebec.
• Dr. Zur is currently the President-Elect for the American Broncho-Esophagological Association. Her previous role was Vice President with in the organization.
• The Center participated in the annual Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings. In 2019, Dr. Jacobs led a multidisciplinary panel focused on Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Active Larynx Before Open Airway Surgery, collaborating with GI, Pulmonary and ENT.
• CHOP Neonatology, Anesthesiology and the center collaborated at the Pediatric Academic Society and the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium conference in a didactic workshop directed toward airway management: Enhancing Proficiency in Managing the Difficult or Critical Neonatal and Pediatric Airway with Multidisciplinary Training. Ian Jacobs, MD, Conor Devine, MD, Janet Lioy, MD; Allison Boyd, CRNP; Kate Hanlon-Ng, CRNP; Joanne Stow, CRNP; and Deborah Lipman, CRNP were part of the faculty that had participants use CMAC, practice intubation on difficult airways, as well as practice hands-on experience with tracheostomies. It was a huge success with 200-plus participants.
• Dr. Jacobs, Javia and Joseph Piccione, DO, MS, were invited to present a multidisciplinary view of airway disorders at Mount Sinai School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds. Afterward, both organizations had a round robin discussion of airway case studies.
• Dr. Javia provided the keynote address on Complex Surgical Airway Reconstruction at the Ninth International Symposium on the Pediatric Airway (ISPA), Geneva, Switzerland, and he was the invited lecture at the National Chinese Pediatric Otolaryngology Meeting Shenzhen, China, with Cutting-edge Surgical Management of Tracheal Stenosis.
• Last April, Dr. Jacobs was faculty at the first World Congress of Pediatric ENT in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He presented on a variety of well-received topics, from button battery injury and the latest research, to defining and reviewing the evolution of aerodigestive programs in the United States.
• Pelton Phinizy, MD, the center’s pulmonologist, represented us at the International Pediatric Airway Team conference at Italy last June. He presented on cryotherapy, as well as gave an overview of CHOP’s Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders.
• Drs. Sobol and Zur were invited speakers at the 5th Congress of European ORL-HNS in Belgium. Topics were airway simulation and recurrent laryngeal nerve reinnervation, respectively.
• Dr. Sobol attended the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting last year, presenting The Noisy Breathing: Best Practice for Diagnosis and Management.
• Dr. Jacobs moderated Buttons, Batteries and Magnets: Ingestion of Foreign Bodies at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress.