A/Professor Franz Babl

contact details

  A/Professor Franz Babl
  Paediatric Emergency Physician
  Associate Professor, University of Melbourne
  Emergency Research
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Rd
  Parkville
  Victoria 3052

  T  +61 3 9345 6160
  F  +61 3 9345 5938
  E  franz.babl@rch.org.au

biography

A/Prof Franz Babl is the group leader of emergency medicine research with the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. He works as a paediatric emergency physician at Royal Children's Hospital and is affiliated with the University of Melbourne. He studied in Germany, the UK and the USA and trained in the US as a paediatrician, emergency physician and infectious diseases physician.

Franz is the co-founder and chair of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network in Australia and New Zealand. This network involves all major tertiary paediatric hospitals in Australia & New Zealand, with an annual census of half a million paediatric presentations. This collaboration is uniquely placed to conduct multicentre trials.

He has conducted a number of collaborative studies within the PREDICT network. A/Prof Babl is currently a mentor and supervisor to advanced trainees, PhD students and early career researchers at RCH and in PREDICT. He is CI on PREDICT's first multicentre randomised trial funded by an NHMRC grant (#546414) running at seven sites.

A/Prof Babl is a co-founder and founding chairman of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network. This Australian and New Zealand network involves all major tertiary paediatric hospitals in Australia and New Zealand, with an annual census of half a million paediatric presentations.

research focus & interest

A/Prof Babl's main focus and interest include:

• Head Injury:

Investigating which children presenting to the emergency department should receive a CT scan and who can be safely observed in hospital or at home by comparing and validating 3 international clinical decision rules.
Investigating the role of biomarkers for head injuries in collaboration with the dept of neuropsychology at RCH (Prof Vicki Anderson) and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto Canada.
Investigating the cognitive effects of exercise after head injuries (PhD thesis Ms Vicky Manikas)
   

• Sedation and Analgesia

Creating an evidence based paediatric procedural sedation program at RCH. This program has been validated and has achieved sustainable change in practice. This program has since been adopted by the Victorian Department of Health for state-wide roll out.

• Stroke

In conjunction with the Department of Neurology (Dr Mark Mackay), this study aims to better define the differences in symptoms between brain attacks/mimics and strokes in children.

Large Randomised Controlled trials

A/Prof Babl is currently a Chief Investigator on 3 major randomised controlled trial.

1. Paediatric Intravenous Maintenance Solution Study (PIMS)- a single centre RCT comparing IV maintenance fluids with different sodium content
2. Comparative Rehydration In Bronchiolitis (CRIB) study, a multicenter NHMRC funded randomised trial to investigate whether the type of fluid replacement- nasogastric versus intravenous- affects the duration of hospital admission in children admitted with bronchiolitis.
3. Painful Oral Ulcer Treatment (POUT)- a single centre RCT investigating the use of viscous lignocaine for ulcerative mouth ulcer conditions in children

publications

Long E, Pitfield AF, Kissoon N.
Anticoagulation therapy: indications, monitoring, and complications.
Pediatr Emerg Care. 2011 Jan;27(1):55-61; quiz 62-4.
    
Powell CV, Priestley SJ, Young S, Heine R
Randomized Clinical Trial of Rapid Versus 24-Hour Rehydration for Children With Acute Gastroenteritis  Pediatrics 2011; peds.2010-2483; Published online September 26, 2011 (10.1542/peds.2010-2483)

Clausen H, Theophilos T, Jackno K, Babl FE
Paediatric arrhythmias in the emergency department
Emergency Medicine J, 2011 Sept 21 doi:10.1136/emermed-2011-200242

Kelly AM, Nguyen K, Krieser D
Validation of the Luscombe weight formula for estimating children's weight
Emerg Med Australas, 2011 Feb; 23(1):59-62

Babl FE, Palmer G, Theophilos T.
Is there a role for Intravenous Acetaminophen in Pediatric Emergency Departments?
Ped Emerg Care, 2011 Jun; 27(6): 496-9

Crellin D, Babl FE, Sullivan TP et al
Procedural Restraint Use in Preverbal and Early-Verbal Children
Ped Emerg Care, 2011 Jul; 27(7): 622-7.

Babl FE, Young S, Oakley E
Developing Academic Pediatric Emergency Medicine in Australia and New Zealand (editorial)
Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2011 Feb; 23(1): 1-3.

Babl FE, Davidson A
A Primer for Clinical Research in the Emergency Department: In response to J Ting (Letter)
Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2011; 23:233

Beauchamp MH, Ditchfield M, Babl F, Kean M, Catroppa C, Yeates KO, Anderson V
Detecting Traumatic Brain Lesions in Children: CT vs conventional MRI vs susceptibility weighted
J Neurotrauma, 2011 Apr 18. [Epub ahead of print]

Bevan C, Buntsma D, Stock A, Donath S
Assessing Bladder Volumes in Young Children Prior to Instrumentation: Accuracy of an Automated Ultrasound Device as Compared to Real Time Ultrasound
Acad Emerg Med, 2011; 18:816-821

Babl FE, Oakley E, Young S
Developing Academinc Paediatric Emergency Medicine in Australia and New Zealand
Emerg Med Australas, 2011 Feb; 23(1): 1-3

Alexander M, Barnes C, Barnett P
Prospective audit of patients with Haemophilia: Bleeding episodes and management
J Paediatr Child Health, 2011 May 12

Hopper SM, Pangestu I, Cations J, Stewart C, Sharwood LN, Babl FE
Adolescents in mental health crisis: the role of routine follow-up calls after Emergency Department visits
Emerg Med J, 2011 Feb; 28(2): 159-60

Oakley E, Robinson J, Deasy C
Using 0.45% Saline solution and a modified dosing regime for infusing N-acetylcysteine in children with Paracetamol poisoning
Emerg Med Australas, 2011 Feb; 23(1): 63-7

Yock Corrales A, Soto-Martinez M, Starr M
Management of severe asthma in children
Aust Fam Physician, 2011 Jan-Feb; 40(1-2) 35-8

Yock Corrales A, Mackay M, Mosley I, Maixner W, Babl FE
Acute childhood Arterial Ischaemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke in the Emergency Department
Annals Emerg Med,2011: 10

Babl FE, Belousoff J, Theophilos T, Hopper S, Deasy C
Paediatric Procedural Sedation Based on Nitrous Oxide and Ketamine: Data from an Australian Sedation Registry
Emergency Medicine Journal, 2010 Aug: 27(8): 607-12

Crowe L, Anderson V, Catroppa C, Babl FE
Head injuries related to sports and recreation activities in school-age children and adolescents: Data from a referral centre in Victoria Australia
Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2010; 22:56-61

Spillane IMH, Krieser D, Dalton S, Heinrich L, Babl FE
Limitations to diagnostic coding accuracy in Emergency Departments: Implications for research and audits of care
Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2010; 22:91-92

Crellin D, Ling RX, Babl FE
Does the Standard Intravenous Solution of Fentanly (50μg/ml) Administered Intranasally have Analgesic Efficacy?
Emerg Med Australasia 2010; 22: 62-67

Oakley E, Babl FE, Acworth J et al.
Protocol for the prospective randomised trial comparing nasogastric with intravenous hydration in children with bronchiolitis: The comparative rehydration in bronchiolitis study (CRIB)
BMC Pediatrics, 2010; 10: 37

Deasy C, Babl FE
Intravenous verses Intramuscular Ketamine for Pediatric Procedural Sedation by Emergency Medicine Specialists: A Review
Pediatric Anesthesia, 2010[Epub ahead of print] 17 AUG 2010

Crowe L, Anderson V, Babl FE
Application of the CHALICE Clinical Prediction Rule for Intracranial Injury in Children outside the United Kingdom: Impact on Head CT Rate
Arch Dis Child, 2010 Dec; 95(12): 1017-22

Davidson A, Babl FE
A Primer for Clinical Researchers in the Emergency Department Part I: Ethical and Regulatory Background
Emerg Med Austral 2010[Epub ahead of print]: 17 AUG 2010

Babl FE, Davidson A
A Primer for Clinical Researchers in the Emergency Department Part II: Research Science and Conduct
Emerg Med Austral 2010 [Epub ahead of print]: 17 AUG 2010

Grindlay J, Young S, Whitmore S, Crellin D, Thomson BN, Meagher J
The 2009 Samoan Tsunami- the Victorian disaster medical assistance team deployment
ANZ J Surg, 2010 Dec; 80(12): 867-9

Braitberg G, Oakley E
Small dose…big poison
Aust Fam Physician, 2010 Nov; 39(11): 826-33

Oakley E, Wong AM
Ultrasound- assisted peripheral vascular access in a paediatric ED
Emerg Med Australas, 2010 Apr; 22(2):166-70

Luckhoff C, Starr M
Minor head injuries in children- an approach to management
Aust Fam Physician, 2010 May; 39(5): 284-7

Rajapaksa S, Starr M
Croup- assessment and management
Aust Fam Physician, 2010 May; 39(5): 280-2

Rajapaksa S, Starr M
Meningococcal sepsis
Aust Fam Physician, 2010 May: 39(5): 276-8

Corrales A, Starr M
Assessment of the unwell child
Aust Fam Physician, 2010 May; 39(5): 270-5


TECHNICAL PAPERS
Babl FE, Theophilos T, Barrett T, McKenzie I
Sedation Manual: Paediatric Procedural Sedation. 2nd Edition
Emergency Department, Royal Children's Hospital

Babl FE (contributor)
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) Faculty of Pain Medicine
"Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence 3ndedition". ANZCA 2010

Clinical Practice Guidelines RCH
Guidelines Committee

Books:

Yock-Corrales A, Barnett P
Tuberculosis
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5 Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult. Ed Hoffman RJ, Wang VJ, Scarfone RJ. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. 2011

Yock-Corrales A, Barnett P
Sexually transmitted infections
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5 Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult. Ed Hoffman RJ, Wang VJ, Scarfone RJ. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. 2011

Biker MR, Barnett P
Transverse myelitis
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5 Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult. Ed Hoffman RJ, Wang VJ, Scarfone RJ. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. 2011

Vissner P, Barnett P
Diabetes insipidus
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5 Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult. Ed Hoffman RJ, Wang VJ, Scarfone RJ. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. 2011

Barnett P
Burns (Ch. 3.5)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Oakley E
Wound Management (Ch. 4.1)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Barnett P
Upper respiratory tract infections (Ch. 6.1)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Barnett P
Inhaled foreign body (Ch. 6.2)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Starr M
Community- acquired pneumonia
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Babl FE
Hepatitis (Ch. 7.9)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Krieser D
Hepatic failure (Ch. 7.7)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Starr M
CNS infections: meningitis and encephalitis (Ch. 8.7)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Starr M
Infectious disease (Ch. 9.1)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Starr M
Dermatology (Ch. 12.1)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Lewena S, Chaney G
The ear (Ch. 14.1)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Lewena S, Chaney G
The nose (Ch. 14.2)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Lewena S, Chaney G, Widmer, R
The mouth and throat (Ch. 14.3)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Lewena S, Chaney G
Foreign bodies and caustic ingestion (Ch. 14.5)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Young S, Chin R, Chaney G
Child at risk (Ch. 18.2)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Oakley E
Spinal injury (Ch. 24.3)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 176-181

Babl FE, Borland M, Davidson A
Research in Children in the Emergency Department (Ch. 29.1)
In: Cameron et al (eds) Textbook of Paediatric Emergency Medicine. 2nd edition
Elsevier Science, Edinburgh UK 2011; 593-598