title: A multispecialty pediatric neurovascular conference: a model for interdisciplinary management of complex disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2013, our institution established a multidisciplinary pediatric neurovascular conference for coordination of care. Here, we review our initial experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and demographic data were obtained from medical records for patients presented to the pediatric neurovascular conference from April 2013 to July 2014. Patient descriptive characteristics were described by mean and standard deviation for continuous measures and by number and percent for categorical measures. Patients were secondarily stratified by lesion/disease type, and descriptive statistics were used to measure demographic and clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pediatric neurovascular conference met 26 times in the study period. Overall, 75 children were presented to the conference over a 15-month period. The mean age was 9.8 (standard deviation, 6.3) years. There were 42 (56%) male patients. These 75 children were presented a total of 112 times. There were 28 (37%) patients with history of stroke. Complex vascular lesions were the most frequently discussed entity; of 62 children (83%) with a diagnosed vascular lesion, brain arteriovenous malformation (29%), cavernous malformation (15%), and moyamoya (11%) were most common. Most discussions were for review of imaging (35%), treatment plan formulation (27%), the need for additional imaging (25%), or diagnosis (13%). Standardized care protocols for arteriovenous malformation and moyamoya were developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A multidisciplinary conference among a diverse group of providers guides complex care decisions, helps standardize care protocols, promotes provider collaboration, and supports continuity of care in pediatric neurovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Travis R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Ladner
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Jasia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Froehler
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Truc M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Amanda N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Lorinc
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mocco
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Naftel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Allen T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pruthi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tenenholz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: E Haley
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Curtis A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wushensky
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wellons
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. Electronic address: lori.jordan@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Lori C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Jordan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010372:Pediatrics; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: arteriovenous malformation; cavernous malformation; moyamoya; multidisciplinary; pediatric stroke