2017
Basic Transesophageal and Critical Care Ultrasound
November 20, 2017
Drs. Wilfredo Puentes and Catalina Casas Lopez see their work in print with the new CRC Press publication and comprehensive medical textbook, Basic Transesophageal and Critical Care Ultrasound.A Curious Case of Blood-Culture-Negative Infective Endocarditis
October 09, 2017
Drs. Ray Satoru Fujii (Clinical Fellow, Cardiac Anesthesia), Daniel Bainbridge and colleagues, present an interesting case of fungal endocarditis along with 3D TEE images and the clinical course. Fungal endocarditis is more commonly observed in patients with predisposing conditions such as immunosuppression, intravenous drug use or previous heart valve replacement.The REACH Network aims to improve the health of Canadians through the development of a rapid learning health system
September 14, 2017
Project co-investigators, Drs. Janet Martin and Davy Cheng, receive a 5 million dollar operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for their innovative project, Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research – Guidelines and Systematic Reviews (SPOR REACH Network).Programmed intermittent peripheral nerve local anesthetic bolus compared with continuous infusions for postoperative analgesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
September 04, 2017
In the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, Drs. Matthew Chong (PGY4), Shalini Dhir and Bill Lin, delineate via systematic review with meta-analysis if there is any analgesic benefit to performing programmed intermittent bolus (PIB) versus continuous infusion for continuous peripheral nerve blockade (CPNB).Perineural Dexmedetomidine Is More Effective Than Clonidine When Added to Local Anesthetic for Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
July 05, 2017
Assistant Professor, Dr. Herman Sehmbi, starts off his tenure with a new systematic review and meta-analysis: Perineural Dexmedetomidine Is More Effective Than Clonidine When Added to Local Anesthetic for Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block. Dr. Sehmbi is new to the Department as of July 1, 2017; an active researcher, Dr. Sehmbi's subspecialty is Regional Anesthesia.CAS 2017 Annual Meeting June 23-26, 2017, Niagara Falls, Ontario
June 22, 2017
We have lots of faculty, residents and fellows who are attending the CAS Annual Meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Join us and support your colleagues who are teaching, moderating, and presenting, and don't forget about the Department Alumni Reception on Sunday!Evaluation of the optimal cuff volume and cuff pressure of the revised laryngeal tube "LTS-D" in surgical patients
June 07, 2017
Dr. Rudy Noppens and colleagues conduct a study to determine the minimum cuff pressure needed to perform standardized ventilation without leakage in the new, revised model of the laryngeal tube "LTS-D".Best Paper Awards for CAS 2017 Annual Meeting
June 01, 2017
Dr. Qutaiba Tawfic and team win best paper for Chronic Pain, and Dr. Shalini Dhir and team win best paper in Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain at the upcoming Annual Meeting for the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS).Ultra-high field template-assisted target selection for deep brain stimulation surgery
May 23, 2017
In this Doing More with Less article, Dr. Miguel Arango and colleagues describe their experiences with integrating ultra-high field template data into the clinical workflow to assist with target selection in deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgical planning.The esophageal cooling device: A new temperature control tool in the intensivist's arsenal
May 08, 2017
Drs. Ahmed Hegazy, Danielle Lapierre (PGY4), Ron Butler, Janet Martin, and Eyad Althenayan, explore the first use of a novel esophageal cooling device as a sole modality for hypothermia induction, maintenance and rewarming in a series of four postcardiac arrest patients.Ultrasound guided quadratus lumborum block for analgesia after cesarean delivery: case series
May 01, 2017
Drs. Ilana Sebbag, Fatemah Qasem (Obstertic Anesthesia Fellow) and Shalini Dhir, publish a new case series on bilateral quadratus lumborum blocks after c-section, with an evaluation on opioid consumption and patient satisfaction.Dr. Janet Martin receives Schulich Distinguished Leader Award of Excellence in Graduate/Postgraduate Education.
April 26, 2017
Join us on May 24, 2017, at the Celebration of Excellence Dinner as we come together to honour the outstanding talent found at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.Anesthesia Residents Bring Home the Awards from the 2017 Midwestern Anesthesia Residency Conference (MARC).
April 25, 2017Black Aortic Valve: A Surprise Finding of What Clinical Relevance?
April 19, 2017
Drs. Ivan Iglesias and colleagues present a surprising case of a rare abnormality involving black pigmentation of cardiac tissue. Images and video supplementary material available through the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.Prevention of chronic post-surgical pain: the importance of early identification of risk factors.
April 10, 2017
New review from Drs. Qutaiba Tawfic, Kamal Kumar, Zameer Pirani (PGY3), and Kevin Armstrong, seeks to provide context to the challenging problem of chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP). The possible role of both the surgeon and anesthesiologist in reducing the incidence of this problem will be explored.Ten faculty members receive coveted AMOSO Innovations Funding for innovative research.
March 14, 2017
Research initiatives include: Advanced Care Planning at LHSC; Measuring Frailty and Quality of Life for Patients with Aortic Stenosis who Undergo Trans Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation; and Current Perioperative Ultrasound Use and Future PlansHospital-Based Health Technology Assessment: The Next Frontier for Health Technology Assessment.
March 03, 2017
Dr. Janet Martin and Laura Sampietro-Colom publish a brand new book, on Hospital-Based HTA, with Adis Springer publishers.Canada's first ever Pain Medicine Residency Program sees its' first graduates
January 25, 2017
It is with great pleasure that we are announcing the successful pass of the final RCPSC credentialing exam for Pain Medicine by our two inaugural residents, Dr. Amjad Bader and Dr. Michael Pariser. Program Director, Dr. Geoff Bellingham, also wrote and passed the exam. It was his first opportunity to write the exam since this Pain Medicine exam was the first ever in Canada.Long-term outcome following remote ischemic postconditioning during percutaneous coronary interventions-the RIP-PCI trial long-term follow-up.
January 17, 2017
The clinical value of ischemic conditioning during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and mode of administration is controversial. This large, randomized study, aims to assess the long-term effect of remote ischemic postconditioning among patients undergoing PCI.Drs. Suparna Bharadwaj (Fellow) and Jason Chui, publish technical note for Direct motor evoked potentials and cortical mapping using the NIM® nerve monitoring system
January 05, 2017
Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) are commonly used to prevent neurological injury when operating in close proximity to the motor cortex or corticospinal pathway. We report a novel application of the NIM® nerve monitoring system (Medtronic@ NIM response 3.0) for intraoperative direct cortical (dc)-MEPs monitoring. A 69-year-old female patient presented with a 4month history of progressive left hemiparesis resulting from a large right sided posterior frontal meningioma that abutted and compressed the motor cortex. Motor cortical mapping and MEPs were indicated. The patient was anesthetized and maintained on total intravenous anesthetics.This year, we will be commemorating World Anesthesia Day on October 25 with a special Grand Rounds Lecture
October 13, 2016Department Faculty and Fellows teach state-of-the-art Perioperative Transthoracic (TTE) and Transesophageal (TEE) Echocardiography to Medellin, Colombia.
April 12, 2023
Drs. Ivan Iglesias, Mauricio Giraldo, Marta Berrio, Luz Maria Lopera, Hilda Alfaro, Isabel Arias and Nelson Gonzalez were on hand to teach Perioperative TTE and TEE in the first workshop of it's kind to be offered in Medellin, Colombia.Neuroanesthesia team attends 45th Annual Meeting for SNACC in Boston, MA.
April 12, 2023Announcement
April 12, 2023Preprocedural ultrasound assessment does not improve trainee performance of spinal anesthesia for obstetrical patients: a randomized controlled trial
April 12, 2023
This randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of additional information from preprocedure ultrasound examination to aid anesthesiology trainees performing spinal anesthesia for obstetric patients.A Novel Automated Somatosensory Evoked Potential (SSEP) Monitoring Device for Detection of Intraoperative Peripheral Nerve Injury in Cardiac Surgery: A Clinical Feasibility Study.
April 12, 2023
Drs. Jason Chui, John Murkin, Timothy Turkstra and colleagues assess the feasibility of using a novel, automated SSEP device (EPAD; SafeOp Surgical, Hunt Valley, MD) for detection of intraoperative PNI during cardiac surgery.Dr. Matthew Chong, PGY3, coauthors CAS Practice Guidelines and new Meta-analysis
April 12, 2023
Now in his third year of Residency, Dr. Matthew Chong starts of 2017 with prestigious authorships on The Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS) Guidelines to the Practice of Anesthesia (2017 edition), as well as a new systematic review and meta-analysis for Perineural Versus Intravenous Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant for Peripheral Nerve Blocks.Measuring and Improving the Quality of Preprocedural Assessments
April 12, 2023
Dr. Farah Manji and colleagues publish a new quality improvement study for preprocedural assessments. We are excited to see this new study from Dr. Manji who finished her residency with our Department in 2016, and received numerous awards for her research.New mother thankful for kind, compassionate care from Dr. Kaylyn Merrifield (PGY2)
April 12, 2023
"Thanks to you my entire perspective on the health-care system has shifted to a very positive one, and my daughter was brought into this world without fear or anxiety."Dr. William Sischeck receives CCPE (Canadian Certified Physician Executives) designation from the CMA
April 12, 2023
This year, 10 physicians have earned the Canadian Certified Physician Executive (CCPE) credential. These physicians from across Canada have fulfilled the eligibility criteria and demonstrated through a peer review and assessment process that they have the knowledge, skills and leadership accomplishments not only worthy of national recognition but also needed to influence and bring about change in today's complex health care environment.Aortic stenosis and non-cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
April 12, 2023
Dr. Ronit Lavi and colleagues publish a new systematic review and meta-analysis in the International Journal of Cardiology. As aortic stenosis (AS) poses a perioperative management dilemma to physicians looking after patients who require non-cardiac surgery, the objective of this review is to investigate mortality and adverse cardiovascular events in patients with and without AS who underwent non-cardiac surgery.Comparison of Registered and Reported Outcomes in Randomized Clinical Trials Published in Anesthesiology Journals.
April 12, 2023
Drs. Philip Jones, Miguel Arango, Tim Turkstra and colleagues, examine whether randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the top 6 general anesthesiology journals were adequately registered and whether the reported primary and secondary outcomes corresponded to the original registered outcomes.Skin to Skin: A Modern Approach to Caesarean Delivery
April 12, 2023
In the Journal of Obstetric Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Dr. Aya Elsaharty (Obstetric Clinical Fellow) and Dr. Ian McConachie, examine skin-to-skin contact (SSC) immediately following cesarean delivery. SSC has been shown to provide benefits to the neonate in the form of maintained temperature homeostasis, cardiovascular and metabolic stability and less irritability.Low Back Pain in Pregnancy: Investigations, Management, and Role of Neuraxial Analgesia and Anaesthesia: A Systematic Review.
April 12, 2023
Dr. Herman Sehmbi and colleagues conduct a systematic review of the evidence regarding investigations, management strategies and considerations around performing neuraxial blocks for pregnant women with lower back pain (LBP).Polyethylene glycol intestinal lavage in addition to usual antibiotic treatment for severe Clostridium difficile colitis: a randomised controlled pilot study.
April 12, 2023
After encouraging preliminary results from collected data, Dr. Philip Jones and the ERASE (Early Rescue from Acute SEvere Clostridium difficile) Trials Group are proposing to treat patients with bedside intestinal lavage with PEG and vancomycin instillation via nasojejunal tube, in addition to usual antibiotic management, as an alternative to operative approaches in this 1-year, single-centre, pilot randomised controlled trial.Neuraxial drug delivery for the management of cancer pain: cost, updates, and society guidelines
April 12, 2023
In a new study in Current Opinions in Anaesthesiology, Dr. Collin Clarke discusses the utilization of neuraxial drug delivery (NDD) for the management of cancer pain, based on recent trials, reviews, and guidelines with a focus on cost analysis.Evaluation of the McGrath MAC and Macintosh laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in 2000 patients undergoing general anaesthesia: the randomised multicentre EMMA trial study protocol.
April 12, 2023
Dr. Rudy Noppens and colleagues publish their new study in BMJ, that compares the first-pass intubation success rate using the (McGrath) video laryngoscope with conventional direct laryngoscopy in surgical patients.Faculty converge on downtown Toronto for the 62nd Annual Ontario Anesthesia Meeting
April 12, 2023
Faculty involvement ranged from teaching resuscitation workshops, to problem based learning discussions for c-section anesthesia.Association Between Administration of Ticagrelor and Microvascular Endothelial Function
April 12, 2023
In the September issue of JAMA Cardiology, Dr. Ronit Lavi and colleagues report that short-term use of ticagrelor is associated with improved microvascular endothelial function but has no effect on arterial stiffness.Onset of labour epidural analgesia with low-dose bupivacaine and different doses of fentanyl
April 12, 2023
New study by Drs. Ramesh Vedagiri Sai, Indu Singh, Fatemah Qasem, Don Nguyen, Shalini Dhir, Kristine Marmai, and Philip Jones, investiagtes the effects of different doses of epidural fentanyl on the time to onset of epidural analgesia in women in early labour.Evidence Basis for Regional Anesthesia in Ambulatory Arthroscopic Knee Surgery and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Part II: Adductor Canal Nerve Block-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
April 12, 2023
“Adductor canal block is widely used for knee surgeries,” said Herman Sehmbi, MD, assistant professor of anesthesia and perioperative medicine at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, in London, Ontario. “It is particularly attractive because of its motor-sparing properties. Although there’s quite a bit of evidence of its effectiveness in knee arthroplasty, this is not the case for arthroscopic knee surgery. So we decided to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis in this area.”Commercially Available Smartphone Apps to Support Postoperative Pain Self-Management: Scoping Review
April 12, 2023
Dr. Ushma Shah coauthors a new study that aims to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of commercially available postoperative pain self-management smartphone apps.Cesarean birth - What's in a name?
April 12, 2023
To commemorate the 100th edition of The International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, Obstetric Clinical Fellow, Dr. Aya Elsaharty, and Dr. Ian McConachie, examine the evolution of surgical birth terminology (Cesarean Section versus Cesarean Delivery) over the past 100 years.Postoperative Outcomes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies.
April 12, 2023
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common comorbidity in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and may predispose patients to postoperative complications. Drs. Mahesh Nagappa, Davy Cheng and colleagues, conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the evidence of postoperative complications associated with OSA patients undergoing cardiac surgery.Statistical reporting and table construction guidelines for publication in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia
April 12, 2023
When publishing scientific information, data must be presented accurately, consistently, and transparently for maximally effective communication. At the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia (CJA), Associate Editor, Dr. Philip Jones, and his fellow editors commonly see problems in the reporting of results in the text and tables of manuscripts submitted for publication. To address these issues, Dr. Jones and colleagues have provided some general guidance for statistical reporting in manuscripts submitted to the CJA.Surgical treatment of carcinoid syndrome metastatic disease: Partial hepatectomy with veno-venous bypass and subsequent tricuspid valve replacement. Case report
April 12, 2023
We report the case of a patient with progressive dyspnoea, arterial hypotension and facial flushing, diagnosed with liver and cardiac involvement from carcinoid syndrome. The patient was taken to surgery in two different occasions, first for metastatic liver resection, and then to subsequent cardiac surgery for tricuspid valve replacement.
