Anesthesiology News Presents

Is the Healthcare Delivery System Prepared for the Next Terror Attack?

There has been a marked increase in mass casualty events in our society. Targets have included schools, malls, houses of worship, and yes, hospitals. Our staffing crisis unfortunately has negatively affected even our most robust trauma system and emergency rooms; there has also been the closure of many hospitals in rural areas, which has created healthcare deserts. The inability of many towns and small cities to care for “terror event” patients’ issues, of course, will affect how we deliver ...

Mythbusters: Tips for Young Anesthesiologists

Whitney Fallahian, MD, an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, shares her thoughts on several important topics for fledgling anesthesiologists, such as fellowship options, work-life balance and salary expectations.

U.S. Healthcare Facing a Staffing Crisis

The American healthcare system is experiencing a growing crisis: How do we adequately staff our operating rooms, hospitals, clinics and offices with healthcare professionals? The lack of staff crosses all professional lines, from physicians to nurses to lab technologists—all levels of staff are in short supply. To deal with this challenge, health administrators have resorted to using temporary contract workers known as locums. These temporary, stop-gap employees are usually paid multiple tim...

The Value of Podcasting for Anesthesiologists

At the 2023 spring meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Rajnish Gupta, MD, a professor of anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tenn., discusses how podcasting can be a way for anesthesiologists to highlight their academic work and communicate with other like-minded professionals in the specialty.   “The beauty of podcasting is that it allows the speaker to talk on a specific topic to a narrow audience. That way you can e...

The Pivotal Role of Anesthesiologists in Improving Maternal Care

Barbara Orlando, MD, PhD, an associate professor of anesthesiology and the division chief of obstetric anesthesiology at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center, in Houston, discusses several ways to reduce morbidity and mortality in pregnant patients. She also addresses high-risk pregnant patients with various comorbidities, such as obesity and those with a lack of prenatal care. “This podcast is about my personal journey as an anesthesiologist in gaining u...

The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Stroke

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 20% of U.S. adults, of whom about 90% are undiagnosed. The major risk factors for OSA include obesity, male sex and a family history of OSA. There is a large body of literature showing that OSA is an independent risk factor for hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.  This case illustrates how a patient presented for elective admission for surgery and suffered a stroke.   A 55-year-old man with obesity presented for elective surgery for...

New Textbook Addresses Perioperative Cancer Care

Cancer is a major global public health concern that affects all citizens and communities around the world. Globally, the incidence of cancer is predicted to increase by 50% by the year 2030; and during the same period, cancer-related mortality is projected to increase by 60% to 13.1 million deaths worldwide. This increasing trend in cancer-related mortality exists despite a slow but steady decline in cancer-related death rates since the early 1990s in the United States and the Western world....

From Rock to Doc: The Neil Ratner Story

Neil Ratner, MD, has played remarkably divergent roles in his life, initially as a rock-and-roll drummer and staging entrepreneur, working with the likes of Edgar Winter and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But he always had an interest in medicine, so eventually he ditched his successful rock career and went to medical school, later becoming an anesthesiologist who embraced the then-novel concept of delivering non-OR anesthesia, which he helped pioneer.   It was through his work as an anesthesiolog...

Will Isotonitazene Be Our New Overdose Crisis Drug?

The Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division is warning local residents of a dangerous new drug emerging in the D.C. area that is as deadly as fentanyl. We as neurocritical care practitioners may therefore soon find ourselves caring for patients that have overdosed on this drug and may be suffering from severe hypoxic injury and coma.   In the fall of 2019, a new synthetic opioid named isotonitazene made its debut in the U.S. and Canada. The drug, which is not a derivative of fe...

Early Recovery Program Reduces Opioid Use by 80% After Cesarean Delivery

Over the past two years, Saddleback Hospital, in Laguna Hills, Calif., has implemented a robust ERAC (early recovery after cesarean) protocol that includes a transversus abdominis plane block with liposomal bupivacaine for post-op cesarean delivery pain. Results have shown that the protocol has reduced the use of narcotics for the post-op period by 80%, and has improved the overall satisfaction with the post-op period considerably by reducing nausea and vomiting, itching, and constipation. I...

The Etherist Podcast, Season 4: Burnout Prevention Tips and Key Takeaways

In the previous chapters of “Anesthesiology News Presents The Etherist,” we defined just what physician well-being is, when it came to light and why the concept needs to be addressed at institutional and systemwide levels. We also explored managing the cognitive workload during residency, the stress of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the unexpected toll that burnout can leave behind.   And now, for the final episode of the series, various experts share their thoughts on how to be...

The Etherist Podcast, Season 4: Burnout During Residency and Culture

In the second episode of Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist, we discussed some of the main causes and signs of burnout. We also explored what it was like to work during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this installment, we first examine well-being during residency. Managing the cognitive workload and production pressure can be incredibly demanding, even for seasoned doctors. So, without proper guidance and a strong foundation, the acute setting can easily lead to burnout for res...

The Etherist Podcast, Season 4: Defining Burnout and Physician Well-Being

The season premiere of Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist featured Dr. Amy Vinson, the chair of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Physician Well-Being. Among many other things, she explained why physician well-being needs to be addressed at an institutional and systemwide level. In this episode, we delve deeper into working during the COVID-19 pandemic, the unexpected toll burnout can leave behind and why being mindful of it is paramount. Join us as we talk with s...

The Etherist Podcast, Season 4: Physician Well-Being

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, anesthesiologists are being asked to do more than ever with less. Staffing shortages, supply chain issues, administrative burdens, regulatory compliance and unpredictable work hours continue to plague the field and contribute to burnout. This is a universal problem, and these are symptoms of a work environment that’s not conducive to sustainability. Although “burnout” has historically been defined in several different ways, the term is generally charact...

The Etherist Podcast: Season 4 Coming Soon!

In this new season of “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist,” we’re going to examine a topic that’s both spoken about not enough and too much — physician well-being. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, anesthesiologists are being asked to do more than ever with less. Staffing shortages, supply chain issues, administrative burdens, regulatory compliance and unpredictable work hours continue to plague the field and contribute to burnout. This is a universal problem, and these are sympto...

‘Ask the Experts’: California’s Fight Over Pediatric Dental Anesthesia Care With Rita Agarwal, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Rita Agarwal, MD, joins the show to discuss the efforts in California to pass legislation to change anesthesia delivery in pediatric dental anesthesia cases. Agrawal has played an important role in advising and promoting the need for improved practices in the state, especially when it comes to the sole-operator model of anesthesia delivery. Agarwal is a clinical professor of anesthesiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, in California. She is...

‘Ask the Experts’: How One Startup Is Transforming Non-OR Anesthesia

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” we talk with Navin Goyal, MD, a co-founder of OFFOR Health, and Saket Agrawal, the CEO of OFFOR Health, about their company’s success in building a mobile anesthesia service aimed at providing office-based anesthesia for dental procedures. Goyal is an anesthesiologist from Columbus, Ohio. He started OFFOR Health to address the problems with patient access to anesthesia care in his community. Agrawal, who is also a Columbus native, spent 10 years working...

‘On the Case’: The Secret to Unusual Cases With Elizabeth Frost, MD

In this episode of “On the Case,” James Prudden interviews Elizabeth A.M. Frost, MD, about some of this most unique and memorable cases of her career. Frost was the original clinical editor of The Frost Series, which bears her name in honor of her contributions to the art of the case study. And she will be the guest editor of the series again in the May and June issues. In preparation for her return to editing the series, Prudden, our editorial director, caught up with Frost to discuss so...

‘Ask the Experts’: ASA’s Difficult Airway Guidelines With William Rosenblatt, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” William Rosenblatt, MD, comes back on the show to discuss his work on the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Difficult Airway Guidelines. He also explains how it took years to build the Airway on Demand video library and why he does it. Rosenblatt is a professor of anesthesiology and otolaryngology at Yale School of Medicine, in New Haven, Conn. He developed the Airway on Demand program to provide educational resources on airway management. He ...

‘On the Case’: Comatose in the PACU? Check the Scopolamine Patch

“On the Case” is back for another season of in-depth interviews with the authors of the best case reports published in Anesthesiology News. The first episode of the year features L. Jane Stewart, MD, JD, MPH, who co-wrote the review titled “Comatose in the PACU? Remove the Scopolamine Patch” (Anesthesiology News Special Edition 2021;17:81-85). Stewart comes on the podcast to discuss the details behind the case as well as how she and her team were able to determine the right diagnosis despit...

New Episodes of ‘Anesthesiology News Presents’ Coming Soon

Anesthesiology News will be publishing a new season of our popular podcast series, “On the Case” and “Ask the Experts.” “On the Case” is a review series that features the authors of our popular case report series. We hear the behind-the-scenes story on the most unique clinical case studies published in the magazine directly from the professionals who managed them. The first episode of this new season features an interview with L. Jane Stewart, MD, JD, MPH, who co-wrote a case report about a...

Ep 4: The Next Chapter of Anesthesiology (The Etherist, Season 3)

In this episode, we turn our focus to the present to see how recent research could be used to shape the future of anesthesiology. In previous episodes, we reviewed how the pioneers of anesthesia were able to successfully use ether and chloroform without the full knowledge of those drugs that we have today. In that spirit, we explore whether there is untapped potential in our current scientific expertise that could help improve the delivery of modern-day anesthesia. This season of the podc...

Ep 3: The First Professional Anesthetist (The Etherist, Season 3)

In the previous episodes, we relived the incredible achievements of the discoverers of anesthesia in Davy, Morton, Simpson and Long. But another individual may be just as important to the progress of the specialty as those who discovered it. John Snow was a doctor and scientist in London when he first witnessed a demonstration of ether anesthesia. Even though he was not credited with the discovery of ether or chloroform, he became a leader in the advancement of modern medicine in England. ...

Ep 2: The Dreadful Discovery of Chloroform (The Etherist, Season 3)

The discovery of chloroform was closely intertwined with ether anesthesia because of the relative closeness of their discoveries, but it did not take long for the early pioneers of anesthesia use to understand the enormous difference between the two anesthetic agents. From October 1846 to November 1847, anesthesia providers used ether to ease pain in surgery and it might have seemed as if a golden age in medicine was just beginning, but tragedy would eventually strike the growing specialty ...

Ep 1: October 16, 1846 (The Etherist, Season 3)

On Friday, Oct. 16, 1846, William Thomas Green Morton changed the world of medicine with his demonstration of vaporized ether anesthesia at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston. The discovery and public demonstration of ether anesthesia was not a sudden achievement, though. In fact, it was the results of incremental scientific gains by dozens of scientists from Raymond Lully, the Spanish alchemist who first distilled sulfuric ether in 1275, to Joseph Priestly, the English researcher wh...

The Etherist—Season 3 Prologue: No Laughing Matter

Before the discovery of ether anesthesia, surgery was an excruciating experience for patients, their loved ones and even the surgeons who performed the operations. In the 1840s, an important scientific breakthrough changed the course of medical history—the discovery of anesthesia. However, over several decades leading up to that historic discovery, the potential for less painful surgery existed without anyone managing to connect the dots between a series of scientific developments with nitr...

The Etherist—Season 3 Trailer: Ether Day Revisited

In this new season of “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist,” we celebrate the 175th anniversary of the original Ether Day by looking back at the origin of anesthesiology as a modern medical specialty. We will revisit those early days of discovery and innovation and the people who made it all possible, but we won’t stop with the history of anesthesia. This season we will also dive into the emergence of new research that has revealed the basic effects of how anesthetic drugs work in the...

‘Anesthesiology News Presents’: An Exclusive Interview with Jodi Kuhlman, MD, on Her Recovery from Fentanyl Addiction

In this exclusive feature of “Anesthesiology News Presents,” Jodi Kuhlman, MD, comes forward to share her story of fentanyl addiction and drug diversion for the very first time. Kuhlman’s story was first published anonymously in a feature in the women’s magazine Marie Claire, in 2019. She recently decided to come forward to share her story directly to bring more awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and addiction for anesthesiologists. Kuhlman is an anesthesiologist in Calhoun, Ga. She ...

‘Ask the Experts’: How to Write to Get Published With Sonia Vaida, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Sonia Vaida, MD, comes on the show to explain her process for editing new reviews and case reports for “The Frost Series” every month in Anesthesiology News. She also shares her best advice on how to write reports to get them published for the first time. Vaida is the clinical editor of “The Frost Series” for Anesthesiology News. She is also a professor of anesthesiology and obstetrics and gynecology, the vice chair for research, and the director of ob...

‘On the Case’: The Kratom Problem and Some Considerations for Anesthesiologists

In this episode of “On the Case,” Peter J. Papadakos, MD, discusses a case report he wrote in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs (2021;34[4]:33-36) about a 54-year-old man who was transferred with a large right frontal intracerebral hemorrhage after ingesting kratom. Papadakos is a professor of anesthesiology, surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, and the director of critical care medicine at the University of Rochester, in New York. He is also a member of the Anesthesiology News edi...

‘Ask the Experts’: The Greater Need for Dental Anesthesia With Peggy Seidman, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Peggy Seidman, MD, joins us to discuss dental anesthesia and the need for more qualified anesthesia providers for routine office-based dental procedures, especially in pediatric cases. She also shares her favorite section of The New York Times and one thing that has inspired her throughout her career. Seidman is a board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist, practicing in Cleveland. She partners with SmileMD, a mobile anesthesia services company founded ...

‘On the Case’: A Rare Crisis of Malignant Hyperthermia in a Pediatric Patient

In this episode of “On the Case,” Matthew Shachner, DO, discusses his case report about a 2-year-old girl who developed malignant hyperthermia during a routine dental cleaning under general anesthesia. The patient had presented to the hospital for the procedure due to poor dentition, and it was her first time undergoing general anesthesia. Shachner is an anesthesiologist in the Department of Anesthesiology at the Anesthesiology Consultants Exchange, P.C., in Cleveland, Tenn. “On the Case” ...

‘Ask the Experts’: The Joy of Medical Missions With Cheryl Gooden, MD

Show Notes: In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Cheryl Gooden, MD, joins us to discuss some of the challenges that she encounters with pediatric airway management. She also talks about her work in medical mission work around the world from India to Peru. “Ask the Experts” is a conversation podcast series from the “Anesthesiology News Presents” channel. It features up close and personal Q&A interviews with leading experts in the field of anesthesiology on topics such as difficult airways ...

‘On the Case’: Managing Pain and COVID-19 Pneumonia During Cesarean Delivery

Show Notes: In this episode of “On the Case,” Steve Garber, MD, discusses his case report on a 39-year-old woman (gravida 5, para 4), at 36 weeks’ gestation, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia after presenting to the emergency department with shortness of breath, cough and myalgias three days after her COVID-19 diagnosis. Dr. Garber in an anesthesiologist at Saddleback Medical Center, in Laguna Hills, Calif. “On the Case” is an interview-driven podcast series, in which we take a be...

‘Ask the Experts’: The Future Role of Physician Anesthesiologists with Karen Sibert, MD

Show Notes: In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Karen Sibert, MD, joins us to discuss the future of anesthesiology and the evolving role of anesthesiologists in modern health care. She also explains her reason for giving up on Twitter as a way of communicating her ideas and opinions about the specialty. “Ask the Experts” is a conversation podcast series from the “Anesthesiology News Presents” channel. It features up-close and personal Q&A interviews with leading experts in the field of a...

‘On the Case’: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Chloroprocaine in Ambulatory Surgery

In this episode of “On the Case,” J. Eric Greensmith, MD, PhD, joins us to discuss his case report about the history of chloroprocaine and the benefits of using it in ambulatory surgery today. Greensmith is an associate professor of anesthesia and critical care in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, In Hershey. “On the Case” is an interview-driven podcast series, in which we take a behind-the-scenes look at the ...

‘Ask the Experts’: Amy Pearson, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Amy Pearson, MD, joins us to discuss her leadership role in Women in Anesthesiology, which is an organization that focuses on the professional and personal development of women anesthesiologists as well as promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity. “Ask the Experts” is a conversation podcast series from the “Anesthesiology News Presents” channel. It features up-close and personal Q&A interviews with leading experts in the field of anesthesiology ...

‘On the Case’: Pediatric POCUS for TACO

In this episode of “On the Case,” Carl (Yuan-Feng) Lo, MD, joins us to discuss his case report about using lung point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose and treat transfusion-associated circulatory overload in a toddler with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Lo is a clinical assistant professor of anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, also in Los Angeles. “On the Case” is an inter...

‘Ask the Experts’: William Rosenblatt, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” William Rosenblatt, MD, joins us to discuss the “Airway on Demand” video series and answer a few questions about some unique airway management moments he has caught on camera. Rosenblatt is a professor of anesthesiology at Yale New Haven Hospital and the Yale School of Medicine, in Connecticut. He is the president of “Airway on Demand” and a past president of the Society for Airway Management. “Ask the Experts” is a conversation podcast series from the...

‘On the Case’: Hemolacria, or Blood in Tears

In this episode of “On the Case,” Richard Kim, MD, MSc, joins us to discuss his case report about a patient who experienced hemolacria, or blood in tears. Kim is a regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine, in California. “On the Case” is an interview-driven podcast series, in which we take a behind-the-scenes look at the popular case reports that are published in Anesthesiology News. We discuss with the authors of those case reports w...

Anesthesiology News Presents Two New Series

Introducing two new podcast series from the same team that brought you “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist.” These new shows, called “On the Case” and “Ask the Experts,” will be premiering next week. “On the Case” is a behind-the-scenes look into the popular case reports published in the news magazine. We’ll be discussing what it was like to experience those clinical situations with the authors of some of the most popular cases. We will hear directly from them why they decided to wri...

Ep 4: A Specialty in the Balance (The Etherist, Season 2)

This story started with a number—a shortage of 139,000 physicians—and for anesthesiology that could mean a shortage of between 17,000 and 42,000 physician anesthesiologists. Throughout this season, it became clear that the exact number of physicians wasn’t the real story. All of the elements affecting the specialty, from changing practice models to the role of physician anesthesiologists to new business models, could leave anesthesia providers with either a better or more uncertain future. ...

Ep 3: A Perfect Match (The Etherist, Season 2)

Ep 2: Mergers and Models (The Etherist, Season 2)

Anesthesiology is a specialty experiencing unique changes. On the one hand, there is debate over practice models and supervision rules. On the other hand, there is rapid consolidation of anesthesia practices across the United States. These two issues are in addition to the potential crisis of a physician anesthesiologist shortage in the coming years. The question that we seek to answer in this episode of “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist” is whether these issues will lead to positiv...

Ep 1: Physician Demand and Supply (The Etherist, Season 2)

“Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist” is back. In Season 2, we dive into the future of the specialty of anesthesiology and the looming physician shortage that could threaten the field as we know it. We start by looking into a recent report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and its projections of health care–wide physician shortages expected by 2033. In fact, the AAMC report projects that the United States will experience a shortage of 139,000 physicians, and that...

The Etherist—Season 2 Trailer: The Looming Anesthesiologist Shortage

Season 2 of Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist is almost here! In this brand-new season, we explore the truth and myths behind a looming physician anesthesiologist shortage, based on reports from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Those projections show a potential shortage of nearly 139,000 physicians in the United States, with anesthesiology being among the key specialties to suffer. But will anesthesiology really experience a physician shortage at all? And if so, how wi...

Ep 4: Solutions and an Ethical Dilemma (The Etherist, Season 1)

The crisis of drug shortages, largely misrepresented by debates about a need for better policy, is fundamentally about the patient–provider relationship. This ongoing crisis continues to put providers in the uncomfortable position of whether to inform a patient of the problem. In addition to that predicament, companies and organizations continue to search for solutions to the shortages, with little progress so far. But a breakthrough may be close as emerging advanced technology and improved ...

Ep 3: Government in Action or Inaction (The Etherist, Season 1)

From the shortages of quinine during the U.S. Civil War to the sudden lack of saline bags in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has continued to struggle with health care demands. Those resulting shortages have led to unique and complicated situations across the country throughout modern medical history. But one organization has always had the power to create meaningful change in that overburdened industry: the federal government. Using regulatory agencie...

Ep 2: Hurricane Maria and the Manufacturing Process (The Etherist, Season 1)

Despite the focus on drug shortages, the nationwide decline in available saline bags was one of the most daunting shortages in recent years. It started in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated many islands in the Caribbean in September 2017, including Puerto Rico, where nearly all of the U.S. supply of saline bags was manufactured. That disaster revealed health care’s fragile supply side in the United States, and how manufacturing consolidation can lead to major shortages for ba...

Ep 1: We Have a Problem (The Etherist, Season 1)

In the early months of 2018, a shortage of hyperbaric bupivacaine swept across the country affecting providers and their normal ability to care for their patients. The world of anesthesiology was rattled, but through the efforts of several leaders in the field, the drug shortage didn’t become a debilitating crisis. This is the first episode of “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist,” the new series that tells the story of ongoing anesthesia and analgesia drug shortages affecting patient...