From the Chair

Tina Duhaime, MD

Tina Duhaime, MD

On days in which there are too many tasks for the time allotted, it is still helpful to remember that expression. Ultimately, most of what we do involves making progress to take the "panic" out of our dealings with the brain, and to do as much as we can to preserve and protect the neurological health of our patients. To face these tasks with an attitude of helpfulness, optimism, and reassurance is the challenge of the pediatric neurosurgeon. We should strive to meet that challenge, even as each of us must put out tremendous and ongoing effort to keep up with the latest developments, refine our skills, and increase our knowledge in our field, and hopefully to also add to that knowledge whenever possible.

Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Photo by Edward Savaria Jr., © positivelycleveland.com

The Pediatric Section's job is to make some of these tasks easier by working together to provide educational opportunities, to support the creation and dissemination of new knowledge, and also to provide a means for individuals with similar interests and facing similar challenges to come together. Our recent annual meeting in Boston was an excellent example of the kind of opportunity that enriches us in all these ways. Members of the section likewise have worked to make the pediatric-focused presentations at the upcoming AANS Annual Meeting in Philadelphia another great opportunity to learn new things that will keep you up to date and involved.

Who does all this work? It is done by the volunteer section members who take on the jobs of putting these programs together for you. We welcome your involvement and your feedback. There are many opportunities to get involved in meeting planning and many, many other jobs within the section's scope of activities. This year we are in the process of reorganizing both the structure of our committees and how we appoint people. We are trying to get more people involved. We have a growing number of requests for section representation in a variety of national and international efforts. If you would like to get involved, e-mail any of the officers and let us know of your interest. We can use your help!

Lastly, if there are common clinical questions you would like answered, please consider applying for the section-sponsored Small Research Grants. There is information on the section's Web site about how to apply. It's quick and easy to apply—in fact, it's probably the easiest grant application you&rsquo'll ever see. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2010. Be among the first "class" of Pediatric Section Grant awardees, and help your colleagues learn new facts that are relevant to our specialty. It's always better to face "panic"; with facts—and you can help us gather some with a little boost from your colleagues at the Pediatric Section.

Happy spring! See you in Philadelphia.

Tina Duhaime, MD, is chair of the AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery.

Pediatric Section Session at 2010 AANS Annual Meeting

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
2:45–5:30 PM
AANS/CNS SECTION ON PEDIATRICS
Moderators:
George I. Jallo, MD
David W. Pincus, MD, PhD

2:45–3:30 PM
DONALD D. MATSON LECTURE
Introduced By:
Ann-Christine Duhaime, MD
Genetic Control of Brain Development
Speaker:
Jeffrey Golden, MD

3:31–3:38 PM
KENNETH SHULMAN AWARD
Cell Proliferation and Neuronal Migration After Closed Head Injury in the Immature Piglet
Recipient:
Symeon Missios, MD

3:39–3:40 PM
Invited Response

3:41–3:48 PM
HYDROCEPHALUS AWARD
Immortalization and Functional Characterization of Rat Arachnoid Cells
Recipient:
Christopher G. Janson, MD

3:49–3:50 PM
Invited Response

824 3:51–3:58 PM
Predictors for Outcome After Surgery for Chiari Malformation Type 1
Authors:
Katherine E. Hekman, BA; Leonardo Aliagra, BA; Aman Gaurav-Luther, BS; David M. Frim, MD, PhD (Chicago, IL)

3:59–4:00
Invited Response

825 4:01–4:08 PM
WINS LOUISE EISENHARDT
RECIPIENT
Pseudotumor Cerebri After Surgical Remission of Cushing’s Disease
Authors:
Erin Kiehna, MD (Charlottesville, VA); Meg Keil, RN; Maya Lodish, MD; Constantine Stratakis, MD (Bethesda, MD); Edward H. Oldfield, MD (Charlottesville, VA)

4:09–4:10 PM
Invited Response

826 4:11–4:18 PM
Results From a 20-Year Experience of Pediatric Arteriovenous Malformation Radiosurgery
Authors:
Bruce E. Pollock, MD; Michael J. Link, MD; Paula J. Schomberg, MD (Rochester, MN)

4:19–4:20 PM
Invited Response

827 4:21–4:28 PM
Surgical Management for Cranial Congenital Dermal Sinus
Authors:
Chiachien J. Wang, PhD; Tien T. Nguyen, MD; Mark D. Krieger, MD; J. Gordon McComb, MD (Los Angeles, CA)

4:29–4:30 PM
Invited Response

828 4:31–4:38 PM
Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Transventricular Hemispherotomy for Medically Intractable Epilepsy – A New Approach and Cadaveric Demonstration
Authors:
Biji Bahuleyan, MD; Sunil Manjila, MD; Alan R. Cohen, MD, FACS (Cleveland, OH)

829 4:39–4:46 PM
Brain Tumors in the First Year of Life - The CHEO Experience
Authors:
Mohammed F. Shamji, MD, PhD; Naveen Mehrotra, MD; Michael Vassilyadi, MD; Enrique Ventureyra, MD (Ottawa, Canada)

830 4:47–4:54 PM
Complications in Pediatric Spine Surgery: A Comparative Survey of the Perceptions of Surgeons, Caregivers, and Patients
Authors:
Shobhan H. Vachhrajani, MD (Toronto, Canada); Daniel H. Fulkerson, MD; Alison Brayton, RN (Houston, TX); Abhaya V. Kulkarni, MD, PhD (Toronto, Canada); Andrew H. Jea, MD (Houston, TX)

831 4:55–5:02 PM
Endoscopic Lamina Terminalis Fenestration for Treament of Obstructive Hydrocephalus Following Failed ETV
Authors:
Amer Khalil, MD; Xiao Di, MD, PhD (Cleveland, OH)

832 5:03–5:10 PM
Pediatric Spine Injuries (Report of 43 Cases)
Authors:
Mohammad R. Ehsaei, MD (Mashhad, Iran)

833 5:11–5:18 PM
Multifactorial Etiology in Spontaneous Neonatal Intracranial Hemorrhage
Authors:
Selfy Oswari, MD; M. Zafrullah Arifin, MD; Akhmad Imran, MD (Bandung, Indonesia)

5:19–5:30 PM
Open Discussion

5:31–6:00 PM
PEDIATRIC SECTION BUSINESS MEETING