USA Health physician shares pediatric critical care expertise at global conference

By Casandra Andrews
[email protected]

USA Health physician Cristina E. Gavrilita, M.D., FAAP, recently joined pediatric critical care experts from around the world to share strategies for improving care for critically ill children at an international conference in Melbourne, Australia.

At the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies (WFPICCS) conference, Gavrilita co-organized and presented an interactive workshop with Elizabeth Farrington, PharmD, of New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., and Allison M. Chung, PharmD, of Harrison College of Pharmacy at Auburn University.

The workshop addressed a common challenge in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs): providing effective pain management and sedation while minimizing the risks of delirium, withdrawal and potential long-term complications for children.

Gavrilita is a pediatric critical care physician in the PICU at Children’s & Women’s Hospital. She is also the pediatric medical director of the Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team at the hospital and serves as an associate professor of pediatrics at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama.

At the conference, the presenters explored pediatric post-intensive care syndrome (PICS-p), neurocognitive outcomes, sedation and withdrawal management strategies, and the benefits and challenges of protocolized versus individualized approaches to sedation, according to Gavrilita.

In addition to traditional lectures, the team incorporated real-world PICU cases, audience polling, and roundtable discussions. The interactive format encouraged participants to compare clinical practices, share experiences, and discuss approaches used at their own institutions.

The workshop highlighted the complexity of pediatric sedation and the importance of tailoring treatment to each patient's needs.  

“Clinicians must balance comfort and safety during critical illness with the prevention of withdrawal, the ability to assess neurological function and considerations for long-term recovery,” Gavrilita said.  

In addition to the workshop, two research abstracts from Gavrilita were accepted for presentation at the conference.

The abstracts were titled "Combined N-Acetylcysteine and Fomepizole Therapy in Severe Acetaminophen Overdose," on which Gavrilita was the first author, and "Incidence and Characteristics of Neonatal Patients with Bacteremia Following Probiotic Administration," on which she was a contributing author.