The Annual Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Meeting held in Austin, Texas from March 31 to April 2, was a great success. Pediatric anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists and other health care professionals from around the country shared their knowledge and experience at the event. Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and UNMC were incredibly well represented with 11 faculty, two fellows, two residents and three CRNAs in attendance. Faculty, trainees and staff were involved across the meeting as moderators, presenters, and educators.
Many UNMC faculty members and staff contributed significantly to the event’s success. One such faculty member was Kaitlyn Pellegrino, MD, who served as faculty for the difficult airway workshop held on March 31, 2023. Dr. Pellegrino’s expertise and guidance were invaluable to the participants in the workshop.
Julia Gálvez Delgado, MD, served as the moderator for the April 1 Lightning Abstracts presentation, showcasing the latest research in pediatric anesthesia. Dr. Gálvez Delgado and Andrea Dutoit, MD, also served as faculty for the Advanced Techniques for Peripheral Vascular Access Workshop.
Another highlight of the conference was the problem-based learning discussion session. Mackenzie Laurila, DO, and Logan Harrold, MD, presented the management of a complex patient undergoing resection of a thoracic cyst abutting the aorta and trachea. Kunal Sualy, MD, and Mary Cate Raynor, CRNA, moderated a PBLD highlighting challenges encountered with intraoperative management of diabetes insipidus.
Dr. Pellegrino and Ann Veys, CRNA, presented on “Disclosure of adverse events and help! Support and recovery in second victim syndrome” on April 2. Shannon Hoy, CRNA, served as the moderator for the Advanced Practice Provider Symposium Session II, which featured presentations on sugammadex, an agent to reverse neuromuscular blockade routinely used for surgery, and pediatric regional anesthesia including spinal anesthesia and truncal nerve blocks.
In addition to the above presentations, there were several posters on display showcasing research and quality improvement initiatives. Notable posters included “Brain-Eating Amoeba: A Case Demonstrating the Expansion of Naegleria Fowleri Infections in Geographic Range and Into the Perioperative Arena” by Adam Zobel, DO, Kunal Sualy, MD, and Thomas Manning, MD; “Rectus Sheath Peripheral Nerve Catheters for Post-Operative Pain Control in Pediatric Kidney Transplants” by Blaine Schlawin, DO, Cale Kassel, MD, Stephanie Shin, DO, and Kunal Sualy, MD; and “Quality Improvement: Ultrasound for Peripheral Intravenous Access” by Stephanie Shin, DO, Gabriel Gallegos, MD, Rachel Spitznagel, MD, and Julia Gálvez Delgado, MD.
“For me, personally, the meeting was an incredible landmark. It started off on the Transgender Day of Visibility and the Society featured speakers from Boston Children’s Hospital, Seattle Children’s Hospital and a parent advocate of a gender-diverse child in Texas,” Dr. Gálvez Delgado said. “I was able to show up authentically and had the distinct honor of representing Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, UNMC and the Anesthesiology journal as a member of the editorial board, and I presented the notable papers in pediatric anesthesiology published in 2022 and 2023.”
Overall, the Annual Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Meeting was a tremendous success, with faculty members and staff contributing significantly to its success. The conference provided a platform for health care professionals to share their knowledge and experience in pediatric anesthesia, promoting best practices and advancing the field.
“Our team truly shone and demonstrated CHMC and UNMC as institutions that value inclusion and are advancing the field of pediatric anesthesiology,” Dr. Gálvez Delgado said.