Welcome

Aditee Ambardekar,
MD, MSEd, MBA
Program Chair

Welcome back to the Bahamas, SPA! We gather to celebrate the first 40 years of our Society and chart our course for the next 40 alongside the tides of the Atlantic! 

I am thrilled to be the first to welcome you to the SPA-AAP Pediatric Anesthesiology 2027 meeting, set against the sun-drenched shores of Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas. This year's theme, “SPA’s Ruby Anniversary – Celebrating the Past, Defining the Future,” honors four decades of extraordinary progress in our specialty and society while looking ahead to define the next chapter. We eagerly anticipate three days of learning, celebration, and community with colleagues from around the world.

Over the next few days, we will examine the current state of best practices in pediatric anesthesia, all while honoring the giants whose work built the foundation on which we stand. We have invited several back to the stage to share their valuable perspectives, and we hope to engage you in a candid, collaborative conversation that sets our community apart. From the latest evidence in pediatric anesthesia to advocacy, quality, global health, and patient safety, this program is designed to inform, reconnect, and inspire you. If you cannot be with us in the sunny Bahamas, I hope you join us virtually, so you don’t miss a moment of it!

We kick off the meeting Friday morning with a session titled “On the Shoulders of Giants: Post-Anesthesia Apnea in the Preterm Infant,” a fitting tribute to our Ruby Anniversary. Dr. Charles Cote revisits the historical perspective on apnea of prematurity before we dive into updated risk thresholds and emerging evidence on awake neuraxial techniques. From there, we turn to “Shifting Tides: Point-Counterpoint in Pediatric Anesthesia,” a lively pair of pro/con debates, and our AAP Advocacy Lecture in which Dr. Julie Linton shares her insights on the impact of immigration enforcement on children.  We end the morning session with the presentation of the AAP Robert M. Smith Award, recognition of an individual who has made an outstanding impact on the field of pediatric anesthesiology.

After lunch, we learn from our pediatric cardiac anesthesia colleagues in the Joint CCAS Session, “When ECMO Comes to the OR.” This is followed by “Lighthouse in the Storm: Navigating Critical Events in Pediatric Anesthesia”, which guides us through some of the hardest conversations our specialty asks of us. We close Friday with a cocktail reception to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones.

Saturday begins with a State of the Society address given by president, Dr. John Fiadjoe, followed by the first session of the day, “Vision to Evidence: Pediatric Anesthesia’s Best Ideas from the Past Year.” Do not miss Dr. Britta von Ungern-Sternberg’s keynote, which serves to motivate each of us to play even a small role in the science of pediatric anesthesia to further our understanding and improve the care we provide.  Drs. Andrew Davidson, James DiNardo, and Laszlo Vutskits will share the year’s notable papers from Anesthesiology, Anesthesia and Analgesia, and Pediatric Anesthesia, respectively. After lunch, Dr. Elizabeth Drum and Dr. Mark Newton will discuss their decades-long experience with global health initiatives in pediatric anesthesia as part of our “AAP Ask the Experts” session on “Changing Tides in Global Pediatric Anesthesia: From Outreach to Partnership.”  We end the day with “Anchoring the Essentials: Refresher Topics in Pediatric Anesthesia” covering high-yield maintenance of certification topics such as post-operative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis, massive transfusion, and enhanced recovery pathways in children.

The fun does not end with the final session of Saturday afternoon!  Join us for dinner, dancing, and Bahamian festivities at the 40th Anniversary Gala – “Ruby Reflections: Celebrating the Past, Illuminating the Future.” It will be an unforgettable evening as we commemorate 40 years of advancing pediatric anesthesia through education, research, and patient safety. Together, we honor our legacy and inspire the future. And be sure to bring your family – there will be fun activities for the kids too!

Before you head to the airport, know that we've planned a purposeful Sunday morning — don't leave early! We begin with “Updates in Pediatric Anesthesia,” covering the evolving Venezuelan mitochondrial genetic variant, along with important updates to sepsis guidelines, malignant hyperthermia, and CPR/PALS. We then spotlight the innovative work our Society's funding has made possible with “Updates from the SPA Grant Recipients,” and close the meeting with “Safe Waters: Steering Clear of Error Traps in Pediatric Anesthesia,” a session dedicated to the everyday vulnerabilities in our practice.

Beyond the lectures, we encourage you to register for a few of our well-curated workshops, seminars, and roundtables. These interactive sessions foster learning and community, enriching both your practice and your professional network. Be sure to peruse our sponsors in the exhibitor hall! And bring a junior colleague, an advanced practice provider, or trainee along to share the experience that is SPA! Check out the trainee track and APP symposium that run parallel to the meeting programming.

It was a sincere privilege to serve as the Program Chair for this meeting alongside Dr. Annery Garcia-Marcinkiewicz as Program Shadow. This meeting is the culmination of the hard work and collaboration with the Program Co-Chairs, Dr. Jonathan Tan (Workshops/Seminars Coordinator) and Dr. Lisa Einhorn (Roundtables Coordinator), and their shadows, Dr. Matthew DiGiusto and Dr. Branden Engorn.  Dr. Justin Long represented the AAP Section on Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (SOA) and provided valuable guidance as a past program chair.  Thanks to Kimberly Russo (Chair) and Shannon Hoy (Co-Chair), who curated the Advanced Practice Providers Symposium, and to Dr. John Fiadjoe and Dr. Toyin Olutoye for their guidance and mentorship throughout the process.  None of this would have been possible without Kim Battle and Ruggles, whose historical knowledge of the Society, incredible grasp of meeting logistics, and extreme organizational skills kept us on track.

Four decades in, we continue to write the story of our specialty and our society, even as we celebrate the giants on whose shoulders we stand. I hope this meeting inspires you to keep showing up for our community, to advocate for our little patients, and to stay curious. Soon enough, we will be among the giants on whose shoulders the next generation of pediatric anesthesiologists will stand. Let's inspire each other and those who will come after us.  Happy Ruby Anniversary, SPA!