Clinical Research Directory

Validation of a Totally Synthetic High Fidelity Laparoscopic Duodenal Atresia (DA) Surgical Simulator

Surgeons with variable levels of experience in pediatric minimally invasive surgery (MIS) will be recruited to test the laparoscopic DA simulator. Baseline characteristics regarding their experience level in pediatric surgery, open and laparoscopic DA repairs and MIS surgery will be obtained from all participants. Prior to testing the simulator, participants will be provided with a video and book chapter describing how to perform the procedures and will be given an opportunity to practice on the simulators. Participant performance during a DA repair will be video recorded. Their identity will be blinded. Time to completion will be recorded. Two expert assessors will score their performance using a checklist and global performance rating scale. The quality of the duodenal anastomosis will be scored. The performance of novice, intermediate and expert surgeons will be compared to determine if the DA simulator is able to distinguish between performance of surgeons at various levels of experience. In addition, post-procedure survey will be completed by participants to rate the simulators based on its realism, usability and usefulness. Recommendations for improvement to the simulator will be sought.

An Exploratory Physiological Study of Post-operative Recovery in Surgical Neonates and Dimethylarginine:Arginine Levels

The SuNDiAL study will measure levels of two naturally occurring amino acids: Arginine and Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) in neonates undergoing abdominal surgery in the first 5 days of life due to congenital abdominal malformations as the participants recover from surgery. The investigators hypothesise that the relationship between Arginine and ADMA may be useful in predicting recovery and complications in babies who have had abdominal surgery due to previous research published in adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery. If this relationship is found to be useful there may be options for developing treatments (such as arginine supplementation) in the future to improve recovery and reduce complications in neonates undergoing abdominal surgery. Neonates born after 35 weeks gestation who have a congenital abdominal malformation who require abdominal surgery in the first 5 days will be eligible to participate in the SuNDiAL study. Arginine and ADMA will be measured from blood samples that are left over from the participant's blood tests that are taken as part of their routine clinical care. The investigators will measure Arginine and ADMA preoperatively and at least 10 points in the 30 days following their surgery, or until the participant fully recovers from surgery (which ever comes first). There is no intervention in the SuNDiAL study, and there will be no extra blood or blood samples taken. Serums samples that are left over from the babies routine clinical blood tests will be stored securely in the hospitals laboratory until analysis for Arginine and ADMA. The levels of Arginine and ADMA will be compared to the time it takes the participants to recover from surgery and any complications that may arise following surgery. During the study the study team will use the participants electronic medical record to establish when the participant became fully established on oral feeding and monitor for any complications that occurred during their recovery.