CanCORPS – Canadian Consortium for Research in Pediatric Surgery
CanCORPS, the Canadian Consortium for Research in Pediatric Surgery, is a consortium aimed at improving pediatric surgical care through high quality collaborative research. CanCORPS aims to elevate the quality of pediatric surgical research by providing the highest scientific and ethical research standards. The Consortium includes all 15 major pediatric surgical services across Canada.
- Mission and scientific objectives
- Members
- Ongoing research projects
- News and accomplishments
- Contact information
Mission and Scientific Objectives
The mission of CanCORPS is to improve pediatric surgical care through high-quality collaborative research.
Our scientific objectives are:
i) To provide a platform for the successful conduct of collaborative, multi-institutional research focused on patient-centered outcomes;
ii) To improve efficiency of scientific and ethical reviews through streamlining of research protocols;
iii) To maintain the highest degree of scientific and ethical integrity in conducting research initiatives; and
iv) To promote the dissemination of new knowledge into pediatric surgical practice and health care policy.
Members
Calgary, AB
Mary Brindle, Site Associate Director
Edmonton, AB
Vancouver, BC
Hannah Piper, Site Associate Director
Winnipeg, MB
Melanie Morris, Site Associate Director
St. John’s NL
Halifax, NS
Hamilton, ON
London, ON
Ottawa, ON
Toronto, ON
Reto Baertschiger, Site Associate Director
Mtl, QC
Mona Beaunoyer, Site Associate Director
(“RI-MUHC”) and Montreal Children’s Hospital
Mtl, QC
Pramod Puligandla *, Site Associate Director
Elena Guadagno, National Coordinator
Québec, QC
Sherbrooke, QC
Saskatoon, SK
Kris Milbrandt, Site Associate Director
*Steering committee member
** Steering committee chair
Ongoing research projects
Child health researchers are invited to submit research projects impacting pediatric surgical care at any time. The National Coordinator and the steering committee will conduct an initial review of all submissions prior to presentation and scoring by all CanCORPS institutions. In order to submit a new application or participate in an ongoing CanCORPS study, you must be a CanCORPS member or work with a designated Site Director.
Interested in participating? Contact the CanCORPS National Coordinator for the New Study Submission template or for more details regarding an existing study.
The following studies are currently underway by CanCORPS.
Fetal Ovarian Cysts. Treatment and outcomes of prenatally identified ovarian cysts
Summary: Wide variation exists in the treatment of prenatally identified ovarian cysts. The effects of various treatment strategies on outcome are not known. We have conducted a retrospective multi-centre study across 10 sites including 247 patients, to assess treatments and outcomes in a national cohort, focusing on predictors of surgical intervention, and the potential effect of surgery on ovarian salvage. Abstract presented at the APSA 2021 plenary session.
Study status: Closed.
Contact: Lead Site Primary Investigator : Sherif Emil, Montreal Children’s Hospital
Gastrografin for Treating Small Bowel Obstruction in Children - Health Canada Clinical Trial
Summary: The Therapeutic Role of Gastrografin for Treating Small Bowel Obstruction in Children: A Multi-Centre Canadian Prospective Study. Read more on Clinical Trials.gov.
Study status: In progress. Enrollment open to CanCORPS members.
Contact: Lead Site Primary Investigator: Andreanna Butter (London Health Sciences Centre)
Congenital Airway Malformations Registry (CaRMA)
Summary: A comprehensive long-term registry has been created in REDCap. Our primary aim is to create, achieve and maintain a national Congenital Lung Malformation Registry to: 1. Prospectively follow the current assessment, management, and outcomes of CLMs in Canadian children; 2. Standardize the process of collecting epidemiologic data of CLMs in Canada; 3. Standardize the treatment algorithms for CLMs in Canadian children; 4. Provide a framework to assess the feasibility and cost effectiveness of novel diagnostic or therapeutic strategies in Canadian children with a CLM; and 5. Promote education and research for Canadian children with CLMs through knowledge translation with local and national foundations and agencies.
Study status: In progress. Enrollment open to CanCORPS members.
Contact: Lead Site Primary Investigator: Ahmed Nasr (CHEO)
National Validation of a Risk Stratification System for Resource Utilization and Outcomes of Pediatric Appendicitis
Summary: To prospectively validate a risk stratification system for perforated appendicitis that reliably predicts outcomes and resource utilization.
Study status: Beginning. Enrollment open to CanCORPS members.
Contact: Lead Site Primary Investigator: Sherif Emil, Montreal Children’s Hospital
An Exploratory Evaluation of Pediatric Thyroid Surgery in Canada
Summary: To document the provision of thyroid surgery in children across Canada and evaluate outcome differences based on alternate models of care.
Study status: Beginning. Enrollment open to CanCORPS members.
Contact: Lead Site Primary Investigator: Robert Baird, Children's Hospital of British Columbia
News and accomplishments
January 2022: CanCORPS’ first publications related to fetal ovarian cysts. (PMID: 35166261 and PMID: 35090716)
December 2021: CanCORPS is now a member of the Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN)'s affiliated network.
May 2021: CanCORPS’ first abstract was accepted less than two years after the inaugural meeting. It will be presented at the plenary session of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) 2021 annual meeting. Join the meeting to hear about the study “Treatment and outcomes of prenatally identified ovarian cysts.” Congratulations to the team!
February 2020: An incredible milestone was reached when the CanCORPS consortium agreement was fully executed. Researchers and legal teams from our 15 institutional members executed the CanCORPS consortium agreement, defining the organization’s membership, governance, leadership and intellectual property. An agreement template was also created to expedite data sharing amongst participating sites.
July 2018: The inaugural meeting of founding members of CanCORPS was held in Calgary, Alberta.
Contact Information
For more information, please email the CanCORPS National Coordinator, Elena Guadagno at elena.guadagno [at] muhc.mcgill.ca.
Sherif Emil, MD, CM, FRCSC, FACS, FAAP
Steering Committee Chair, Canadian Consortium for Research in Pediatric Surgery (CanCORPS)
Dr. Emil is an investigator in the Child Health and Human Development Program at the Research Institute of the MUHC