Our team of 8 Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologists cares for a wide variety of patients. Every year, UIHC performs over 400 adult open-heart surgeries. These include CABG, valve procedures, including minimally invasive valve repair, aortic repair surgeries, LVAD implantations, heart transplant, and ECMO. We also service a large volume of thoracic procedures, including a robust lung transplant program. We pride ourselves on taking excellent care of some of the sickest patients in the hospital.
Cardiothoracic anesthesiologists employ the use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in virtually all open-heart surgeries. It's an essential tool to diagnose cardiac pathology, evaluate surgical interventions, and manage patients intraoperatively. All of our staff members have achieved board certification in Advanced Perioperative TEE. Here, a faculty member and fellow-in-training are evaluating the mitral valve of a patient who is about to undergo valve repair.
The Department of Anesthesia sponsors an ACGME-accredited Adult Cardiothoracic fellowship. By the end of their training, our fellows are well prepared to handle complex cardiothoracic procedures. They also obtain board certification in advance perioperative transeophageal echocardiography. We have been lucky enough to retain two of our recent fellows as faculty members. The Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia has an echocardiography simulation skill lab where residents, fellows and faculty learn and test their skills on echocardiography.
The Cardiothoracic Anesthesia division is active in clinical research, including: Thoracic anesthesia (lung isolation techniques), Vascular physiology, Regional anesthesia for cardiac surgery, Ultrasound-guided vascular access, High spinal anesthesia in cardiac anesthesia, Ultrasound Sonography and Regional Anesthesia, Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction Trials, Anesthetic Techniques for Tracheal Stenosis Excision and Balloon Dilation, Visual Monitor of Obstructed Respiratory Breathing, Anesthetic Agents and Cardiovascular System, POCUS (Point of Care Ultrasound), Fast-tracking the recovery of the cardiac surgery patient, ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation), Transesophageal Echocardiography, Left Ventricular Assist Devices, and high dose opioids and cardio-pulmonary bypass.