NewYork-Presbyterian hosted the 3rd Annual Safety in Spine Surgery Summit on Friday, April 20, 2018. The event brings together a diverse audience of spine surgeons, OR directors and hospital executives from across the nation to network and learn about the numerous safety and quality advances that are being made in the field. This year’s theme was “Toward New Rules of Engagement for an Increasingly Complex Spine World.”

Dr. Cigdem Akman has been named chief of child neurology at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. An expert in child and adolescent epilepsy, Dr. Akman has served as director of the pediatric epilepsy program since 2010, and was named interim chief of the Division of Child Neurology in 2017. With this formal appointment, Dr. Akman will continue the exceptional leadership she has demonstrated over the past year in driving the overall expansion of the division’s clinical, research and education programs.

Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and NewYork-Presbyterian researchers have created patient-specific bladder cancer organoids that mimic many of the characteristics of actual tumors. The use of organoids, tiny 3-D spheres derived from a patient’s own tumor, may be useful in the future to guide treatment of patients.

A new study published today in The Journal of Pediatrics is the first to show that weight gain may have a negative impact on liver health in children as young as 8 years old. The study found that bigger waist circumference at age 3 raises the likelihood that by age 8, children will have markers for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital has earned the “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization.

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and every four minutes, someone dies from a stroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Stroke is the leading cause of permanent disability in the U.S. and the fifth leading cause of death. The earlier a stroke is recognized and treated, the greater the chance of recovery. In recognition of National Stroke Awareness Month, NewYork-Presbyterian is sharing information on stroke risk and prevention.

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens celebrated the Lunar New Year with an event on Tuesday, February 20. Guests were treated to a display of traditional Chinese and Korean entertainment including a Lion Dance and a Korean Drum Dance, as well as a buffet luncheon featuring a variety of Asian cuisines. The Lunar New Year is recognized by many Asian cultures. The date of the Lunar New Year is determined by the moon’s cycle. Each year, the New Year correlates with one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. This year is the Year of the Dog, which symbolizes loyalty and honesty.

February marks Heart Health Month, a time to raise awareness about ways to prevent heart disease and improve cardiovascular functions. Heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women. In fact, according to the Heart Health Foundation, cardiovascular diseases take more lives than all forms of cancers combined. “Heart disease kills hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, but many of these conditions are preventable,” said Dr. David Slotwiner, chief, Division of Cardiology, at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. “Exercise, a balanced diet and avoiding high-risk activities like smoking are some of the best ways to keep your heart healthy.”