November

Background
Laparoscopic colon surgery has been shown to be a safe alternative to open colon resections for both benign and malignant disease.[1-3] Postoperative complications are reduced and length of stay in hospital is shorter.[2-4] Patient quality of life within the first postoperative month is also improved as patients have less pain and are able to resume their normal activity sooner.[5] 

Neonatology is a relatively young field of endeavor that has witnessed increasing de­velopment and technical complexity over the past 50 years. One area of particular importance involves the treatment of smaller and more premature babies. Neonatologists have realized the potential concerns related to outcome for these children and incorporated neonatal follow-up in evaluating treatment modalities. This provides an opportunity to compare local outcomes with other neonatal centres, particularly centres with similar referral patterns.

Some Canadian children’s hospitals have sleep labs, but very few have an interdisciplinary sleep service. A concentrated action plan for pediatric sleep information and knowledge distribution has not been implemented in any province. We believe that public health strategies need to be developed in collaboration with national and international organizations, such as the Canadian Sleep Society, the Canadian Paediatric Society, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. We also believe that we need a comprehensive interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary sleep service for children in BC. 

Background