Columbia University

Over the past few years our website team have been involved in working closely with the team at  Columbia University New York on a research idea and then being personally named on the first part of the study paper, this is an on going study and can be found on

Ea-Tef & Tof-oa Studies that need your input (birth-defect.org)

Columbia University Irving Medical Centre in New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive care to children with EA/TEF.

We are still linked to this amazing team and were lucky enough to help promote their two day Webinar covering many issues concerning EA in Adults and Children find the link below.

Webinar – 2020 Esophageal Atresia/Tracheoesophageal Fistula | Columbia University Department of Surgery (columbiasurgery.org)

Look below for the 2022 link

EA-TEF Columbia University New York Webinars-2020-2022 Care Study

Dr. Wendy Chung, MD, PhD and The CARE for kids EA/TEF Study Present A Live WebEx Webinar to discuss findings from the study. 2022

Why don't you - Enrol in the study

CARE is a research study that is set up to learn the underlying genetic causes of birth defects.

The EA/TEF branch of the CARE for Kids study is actively enrolling and still learning about the causes of these birth defects.

Funding: NIH Project #: 1P01HD093363-01

2-3% percent of all children are born with a birth defect and many of them require surgery after birth, long hospital stays and sometimes, regular lifelong care. While there have been advances in genetic technology in the ability to identify the genetic causes of some birth defects, the underlying causes of most birth defects remains still remain unknown. With a new and comprehensive method of genetic testing called whole exome/genome sequencing, we now have the ability to analyze all of a person’s genetic information to help target and identify a genetic diagnosis. There have been several previous studies which have had success with using whole exome and whole genome sequencing to quickly and effectively identify genetic causes of birth defects like heart defects.

One of the reasons for identifying underlying genetic causes of birth defects is to help inform families about reproductive and recurrence risks.

We are enrolling children with various birth defects including gastrointestinal defects (eg: gastroschisis, omphalocele, imperforate anus etc.), neural tube defects and craniofacial defects.

 

To enrol in the study, we will collect a saliva/blood sample from a child affected with a birth defect and both biological parents as well. We will also collect some details on the child’s medical history. The purpose of this is to use the information gathered to correlate the findings with the natural history of the birth defect. Our hope is that by learning more about these correlations, we will be able to help families be better prepared and get a clearer sense of what their child’s medical care will entail when they are diagnosed with a birth defect.

For more info

 The CARE study | Facebook

The EA/TEF Study – Genetic Research for Birth Defects (careforkidsgenetics.org)

EA-TEF Columbia University New York Webinars-2020-2022 Care Study

We have been working with this team to be able to bring you this two part Webinar, first gaining the rights, from the team first

Before Steve Wyles and Sue Paul approached the team at Columbia University Irving Medical Centre/New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, you had to register to view, but felt it would be in the best interest for all if they could be allowed to run it here, without the need to sign-up to view, below is the email they received back from the team.

I’m writing to let you know that I just heard back from the Media/IT team. You may link directly to this our Webinar, we have removed the Sign-ups, to view as before, now they will not be required to view the webinar.

Hello Latoya, Dr. Middlesworth, Dr. Khlevner and REACH Team,

Thank you so much for your help with allowing our website to stream your webinar. We believe that our reach can help extend the view from your team across the world with EA innovations benefitting patients and providers.

WEBINAR – 2020 ESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA/TRACHEOESOPHAGEAL FISTULA

2nd Annual REACH Symposium

This comprehensive program was created to educate a wide range of medical practitioners, medical educators, patients, and caregivers on the current advances in the EA/TEF field. On November 10th & 12th 2020

William Middlesworth, MD and Julie Khlevner, MD hosted presentations focusing on topics related to diagnosis, surveillance, and current therapies. This year’s topics ranged from tissue engineering to the influence of proton pump inhibitors on the microbiome.

Comes in Two 2 Hour Parts and covers many subjects 

Webinar – 2020 Esophageal Atresia/Tracheoesophageal Fistula | Columbia University Department of Surgery (columbiasurgery.org)

Physician’s Profile

Surgical Director of the Esophageal Atresia Program

William Middlesworth, MD

Director, Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Program NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Director, Pediatric Surgery Fellowship, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Affiliations: 
NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
Board Certificates: 
Pediatric Surgery
Surgery, General
Expertise: 
Cancer Care
Endocrine Tumor
Endoscopy
General Surgery
Newborn Surgery
Pancreatobiliary Disease
Pediatric Cancer
Pediatric Minimal Access Surgery
Pediatric Surgery
Pediatric Trauma
Surgery, General
Honors: 

New York Magazine’s Top Doctors, 2015-2016

Interests: 
Esophageal Atresia
Quality improvement and patient safety
About: 

Dr. William Middlesworth joined the medical staff of Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia (MSCHONY), Division of Pediatric Surgery in 1997. He currently serves as director of the Pediatric ECMO Program, and Residency Program Director of the Pediatric Surgical Fellowship. Dr. Middlesworth has founded and leads the Pediatric Thyroid Center and the REACH (Researching Esophageal Atresia for Children’s Health) Clinic.

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Dr. Middlesworth spent two years in the Genetics Department at the Boston Children’s Hospital on work leading to the identification and characterization of the dystrophin gene, important in the pathophysiology of muscular dystrophy. He went on to medical school at Rutgers University, and completed his general surgery training at the University of Maryland Medical System. During residency he spent a year as a surgical research fellow at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. His pediatric surgery fellowship was completed at MSCHONY.

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, Dr. Middlesworth serves on numerous hospital and university committees focused on Quality and Patient Safety, and is the Quality Chair for Columbia Department of Surgery. He is the Surgeon Champion at the Columbia campus for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) of the American College of Surgeons. He chairs a multi-institution collaborative to reduce harm and enhance safety in the peri-operative setting that is sponsored by MCIC Vermont, the member-owned malpractice insurance carrier for Columbia, Cornell, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Rochester Medicine and Yale.

Dr. Middlesworth is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a member of numerous professional organizations dedicated to advancing the surgical care of infants and children, including the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA), the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma(EAST) and the Extra-corporeal Life Support Organization(ELSO), among others.

Dr. Middlesworth has been selected as a Best Doctor in New York Magazine, and a Castle Connolly Top Doctor. He has received recognition for excellence in teaching, and authored numerous papers in important journals including the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, the Journal of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

EA-TEF Columbia University New York Webinars-2020-2022 Care Study

Julie Khlevner, MD, 

Director of the Pediatric Gastrointestinal Motility Center and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center.

Her unique and rare expertise allows her to evaluate and treat children with functional and gastrointestinal motility disorders using advanced, state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques. Some of the conditions treated by Dr. Khlevner are achalasia, gastroparesis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic abdominal pain, severe constipation, fecal incontinence, and anorectal disorders.

Dr. Khlevner co-directs many multidisciplinary clinics, including Esophageal Atresia Clinic, Aerodigestive Clinic, and Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Clinic. She works closely with pediatric surgeons, pulmonologist, cardiologist, ear nose throat (ENT) specialists, and language pathologist to provide the most evidence-based and comprehensive care to children with complex medical problems.

Dr. Khlevner is dedicated to the mission of improving children’s health and is committed to advancing the science of gastrointestinal motility and functional gastrointestinal diseases, with a passion for giving children a better chance at a healthy childhood and a fulfilling life.

Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated

  • Abdominal Pain
  • Bowel Problems
  • Constipation
  • Encopresis
  • Esophageal Atresia
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
  • Gastrointestinal Disorders
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Motility Disorder, Esophageal
  • Motility disorders of the bowel
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Pediatric Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy

Academic Appointments

  • Associate Professor of Pediatrics at CUMC

Administrative Titles

  • Director, Pediatric Gastrointestinal Motility Center

Hospital Affiliations

  • NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
  • NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Gender

  • Female