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PHOTOS © SMITHBERGER PHOTOGRAPHY, NORTH CANTON achieve the same degree of correction and long-term results by placing screws in every other vertebra, instead of in every vertebra, which is the norm. Dr. Jones has a special interest in sports medicine and is focusing his research on determining a cause for the more numerous ACL injuries experienced by girls as compared to boys. Physicians thought the difference was due to the mechanical alignment of girls' knees; they are more knock-kneed than boys. Another theory posited that girls land and jump differently from boys, putting their ACLs at risk; in fact, studies show this to be true. Dr. Jones and his colleagues began examining ACL tissue removed from girls during surgery to see if there was a genetic difference, as well. "We were able to show that the genetic expression for the protein in the ACL is markedly different in boys and girls," says Dr. Jones. "There are three genes in particular on girls' ACLs that are deficient relative to boys, and these actually cause ACLs to be lax. Girls may be genetically predisposed to this type of injury, a problem which may be exacerbated because they jump and land differently." Quality Initiatives Infection control is another focus of the orthopedic research efforts at Akron Children's, which is a member of the Ohio Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety collaborative. As such, Akron Children's has helped develop a "care bundle" to reduce surgical site infections for spinal fusion surgeries, which are usually lengthy and can expose the patient to a greater infection risk. The care bundle includes eliminating razors in the OR, using the same surgical prep in every case, and administering appropriate perioperative antibiotics within 60 minutes of surgery and routinely every three hours during surgery. As a result of this policy and other procedures developed and implemented by Akron Children's orthopedic nursing and physician staff, the infection rate dropped. "We reduced our infection rate by 40 percent, going from 4.7 to 3.2, which is substantial," says Dr. Jones with pride. Like most of his orthopedic colleagues at Akron Children's, Dr. Patrick Riley, Sr., is involved in resident education. He is pictured here with resident Dr. Tim Marks. Every year, the Pediatric Orthopedic Department hosts close to 35 residents from area orthopedic residency training programs. Mostly, however, Dr. Jones and Dr. Riley — who has been with Akron Children's for 30 years and has served as a Medical Staff President — are proud of the Orthopedic Department's team of nine physicians, many of whom completed their orthopedic residencies at the hospital. "We've done ver y well bringing the best of the best back to join our group," says Dr. Riley, pointing out that everyone in the department was fellowship-trained at a high-level children's hospital. "We're really blessed to have so many pediatric orthopedic doctors who work so well together. We are a true team in every sense of the word." "That's one of many things that sets our program apart," says Dr. Jones. In addition to seeing patients at Akron Children's downtown Akron campus, the surgeons see patients at least once a week in conveniently located, community-based offices in Hudson, Canton, Wooster, Norwalk and Boardman. Plans are currently being made to open an office in Mansfield, as well. For more information about Akron Children's Pediatric Orthopedic Department, visit www.akronchildrens.org/cosm. To refer a patient, call 330-543-3500. I SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 2013 I MDNEWS.COM I MD NEWS Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 19