Invitation to the 30th Anniversary of the SPA Annual Meeting
By Christina D. Diaz, MD, FAAP
Medical College of Wisconsin
This year’s Annual Meeting of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia will be held in the beautiful Midwestern city of Chicago and it celebrates the 30th anniversary of our society's tradition to share new ideas and discuss the issues facing our patients and practice. The Sheraton Grand Chicago, nestled on the Chicago River and just a few blocks from the famous Navy Pier, will serve as our venue for the meeting.
Consider watching the sunrise over the majestic Lake Michigan before joining your colleagues for a cup of coffee and a challenging PBLD discussion on Friday morning. After breakfast, the meeting will kick off with guest speaker Dr. John Routes as he sets the stage for our discussion of Anesthesia and the immune system with a review of “Practical Immunology” for the practicing physician. Dr. Robert Brown will expand on this topic by discussing the challenges of “Allergy & Anaphylaxis” in the operating room including desensitizing strategies as an attempt to limit anaphylaxis. As a society we have seen an increase in food allergies, and Dr. Patrick Fernandez will discuss the potential effect this will have on our use of anesthetic agents. To round out the topic, Dr. Juan Cata will convey the latest information on how our current anesthetic choices and especially the use of blood products may directly affect our patient’s immune system and health.
As a consequence of an ever-changing healthcare environment, the Perioperative Surgical Home concept has emerged as a way to address the quality of patient centered healthcare while also evaluating cost efficiency and patient experience. Dr. Lynne Ferrari will outline how leadership by anesthesiologists throughout the patient’s hospital course can lead to improved quality of care and patient satisfaction. While the Perioperative Surgical Home is no longer a new concept, applying it to the pediatric world presents unique challenges. Drs. Vidya Raman and Karen Thomson continue the session by describing their own experiences with establishing this program at their institutions. They will be able to offer their own practical approach to the struggles they faced and the success they have experienced.
Prior to lunch we will induct the new members of the SPA Board of Directors. A highlight of the afternoon will be presentation of the Myron Yaster Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Aubrey Maze, an early pioneer of pediatric anesthesia.
The third theme of the Annual Meeting addresses anesthesia in remote locations. In what is sure to be a lively discussion, Drs. Randall Wetzel and Samuel Yanofsky have agreed to debate the role of the anesthesiologist vs. other physician services when providing sedation services outside the operating room. Dr. Rahul Baijal will present the “Cath Lab Consensus Statement” and Dr. Dawit Haile will portray the demanding and unusual needs of patients undergoing “Photon, Proton, & MIBG” treatment.
In celebration of the 30th Anniversary, our concluding lecture looks to the future and the heavens. With the initiation of space travel in the 1960’s came the practical need for an understanding of space physiology and a plan to deal with injury and poor health. Dr. Matthieu Komorowski, an anesthesiologist, will discuss the unique environment present in outer space and elaborate on the challenges of providing anesthesia in zero gravity. Following his lecture, we will navigate our way to the Adler Planetarium to share a drink and a laugh with friends under the stars. We invite you to join us and look forward to seeing you there!
