Anesthesiology offers unique cadaver workshop
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Dr. Carin Hagberg, second from right, assists a group of pulmonary fellows with an invasive airway technique during a Cadaver Airway and Regional Anesthesia Workshop Wednesday, Jan. 16 in the Microsurgical Skills Center at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. |
Dr. Carin A. Hagberg, professor and interim chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, recently conducted a first-of-its-kind cadaver workshop for their department in the new Surgical and Clinical Skills Center located in the basement of the Medical School.
Over the course of two days, 80 medical students, anesthesiology residents, and pulmonary fellows rotated between two different cadavers. One cadaver specifically focused on regional anesthesia techniques, including brachial plexus, femoral, lumbar plexus, sciatic nerve blocks, and wrist and ankle blocks. This portion of the workshop was conducted by Dr. Nicholas Lam, assistant professor of anesthesiology and director of Regional and Orthopedic Anesthesia, and Dr. Didier Sciard, associate professor of anesthesiology. Use of ultrasound imaging was addressed as well as a thorough review of the pertinent anatomy. The preliminary dissection was performed by, Drs. Harris Rose, Roberto Diaz, Scott Buhler, and Ryan Veurink, orthopaedic residents who volunteered to prepare the cadavers for the workshop.
Preparation of the second cadaver was not required, which focused on performance of invasive airway techniques, including jet ventilation, retrograde intubation, and cricothyrotomy (dilatational and surgical). Hagberg first demonstrated these techniques to groups of 4-8 attendees and then let them practice, with her guidance, on the cadavers.
Anesthesiology residents are commonly taught many noninvasive techniques described in the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Practice Guidelines for the Management of the Difficult Airway on patients in the operating room. Increasingly, this occurs during a formalized “airway rotation,” where appropriate techniques are demonstrated and practiced on awake, sedated, or anesthetized patients. Conversely, experience with invasive airway procedures is difficult to obtain due to ethical issues. To overcome these limitations in training residents, mannequins and simulators have been developed for educational instruction in invasive airway access. More life-like models, such as pig tracheas, have been utilized in previous workshops that Hagberg has held. This was the first time that the Department of Anesthesiology has conducted this type of a workshop on cadavers.
Feedback on the workshop was tremendously positive by the participants, who found it “very helpful,” “enjoyable,” and “excellent!” Cook Critical Care generously sponsored the cadavers and materials for the workshop.
“The workshop will be repeated on an annual basis and research should be conducted to validate the idea that cadaver models improve residents’ ability to use these techniques for the management of the difficult airway,” Hagberg said.
Clinical Research Budgeting/Billing Training course
Do you need help simplifying and clarifying the clinical research budgeting and billing process? If so, then don’t miss this upcoming Clinical Research Budgeting/Billing Training course; 9-11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 in the Medical School Building room B.620.
For more information and to register, visit the Office of Research, Clinical Research Budgeting and Billing Compliance Web page at http://www.uth.tmc.edu/research/events/crtraining.htm or contact Catey Carter via phone/email at 713.500.3524 or Catharine.V.Carter@uth.tmc.edu and/or Kimberly Wilson at Kimberly.Wilson@uth.tmc.edu.
UCSC Scholarship program deadline March 14
Are you a classified employee with a son or a daughter who is a senior in high school, entering college in the coming year?
Applications are now being accepted for scholarships, sponsored by the University Classified Staff Council (UCSC), awarded exclusively to children of classified employees.
Throughout the year, the UCSC Scholarship Committee coordinates fundraising events such as the Silent Auction at the Fun Fest and the sale of Boo Bags to fund these scholarship awards. Last year, due to the wonderful support of the UT Health Science Center at Houston community and gifts in-kind from warm hearted friends, the UCSC awarded and presented nine scholarships to very deserving high school seniors at the annual UCSC Classified Staff Workshop.
Visit the UCSC Scholarship Committee Web site at: www.uth.tmc.edu/ucsc/scholarship.htm to see last year’s recipients. Other information includes details about the program, application forms to download, and guidelines for submissions. Contact Cecilia Lim, chair of the Scholarship Committee for the UCSC, at 713.500.4959 or via e-mail Cecilia.lim@uth.tmc.edu.
Completed applications must be received by the close of business March 14.
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