Department of Anesthesiology

News   

Congratulations to Christopher Reglen, MD for scoring in the top 10 percent among those who took the ABA Basic Examination this June 2023.

Congratulations to Dr. Sarah M. Cocoma, MD on being named the non-surgical attending of the Year
Congratulations to Dr. Sarah M. Cocoma, MD on being named the non-surgical attending of the Year!
Dr. Cocoma, MD is the director of the critical care section and chair of the clinical competency committee.  Dr. Cocoma, MD has previously received the attending of the year, the non-surgical attending of the year and “Hero of the Heart” award.  She will be receiving the award at the General Surgery Residency Graduation, June 23, 2023.  The department congratulates her on consistently outstanding performance and commitment to RUSH community values.
Dr. Timothy R. Lubenow
Congratulations to Dr. Lubenow, MD on his Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Timothy Lubenow, Professor, Rush Medical College, Director of Postoperative Analgesia Services, Director of Rush University Pain Center and Director of Pain Management, Rush University Medical center will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) conference this summer at the awards symposium.  The department of Anesthesiology here at Rush, is honored to have Dr. Lubenow part of the department for over 20 years and congratulate him on his most deserving lifetime achievement award.
ASPN Newsletter Issue 6

 

 

LifeTime Achievement Lubenow

Congratulations to Jared Konner, DO Recipient of the 2023 Katalin Selmeczi, MD & Curt J Stokes, III MD Memorial Award
This award is given to the graduating resident in Anesthesiology who embodies the spirit, humanism, devotion, courage, and work ethic exemplified by Katalin Selmeczi, MD and Curt J. Stokes, MD.
Congratulations to Sara Izzo, DO Recipient of the 2023 Robert D. Dripps, MD Memorial Award 
The award is presented annually to the outstanding graduate resident in Anesthesiology.
Lindsay’s Story: African Primate Rehab Specialist Gets RUSH and University Pain Center care for Rare Conditions
Lindsay’s Story: African Primate Rehab Specialist Gets RUSH and University Pain Center care for Rare Conditions

Lindsay Maess fulfilled a lifelong passion by working with monkeys, chimps and gorillas at US zoos and often returning to Africa for field research at the Pandrillus conservation organization and sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees and endangered drill monkeys in Nigeria. 

Life in the jungle can pose dangers we don’t face in the Western world. When Lindsay came down with malaria, it set her on a path to severe neurological issues, pain and trauma that took so many years of her life and, if it weren’t for her team of physicians at RUSH, could have ended her dream forever.

In April of 2016, Lindsay tested positive for a parasitic infection — Plasmodium falciparum. 
The day after she began her third round of medication, Lindsay developed the worst headache of her life. The next few days brought shooting pain through her whole head, fever and bleeding sores all over her face. She felt like electricity was running through her tongue, lips, face and ears.
The pain spread to her shoulders, spine and left arm. She felt dizzy and confused, like she was intoxicated. 
By the time Lindsay came to RUSH in January of 2019, her life had completely changed. She could barely swallow, talk or be social anymore — much less continue her life’s work with primates. 

“To get through those years before coming to RUSH, I didn’t want to live through it,” Lindsay says. “The pain and vertigo were so intense, and I thought there was no way I could keep going like this.”

At RUSH, she would finally get relief, not only from one doctor, but from a community of physicians that worked together to address all her medical concerns. 
Lindsay was referred to Dr. Ryan Smith, MD, a facial plastic surgeon at RUSH who specializes in treating facial nerve disorders. Assuring he would do whatever it took to help, he worked to tailor her treatment. 

Lindsay also worked with Dr. Sandeep Amin, MD, a pain management physician at RUSH and University Pain Centers (UPC), to further treat her nerve pain and migraine. “Her nervous system was in hyper-drive mode when I first saw her, accounting for her facial issues, pain, headaches and difficulty swallowing,” Dr. Amin says. 

To treat these issues, he used ultrasound imaging as a guide to place several nerve blocks, injecting anesthesia into specific nerves in Lindsay’s head and neck. “It’s almost like resetting the neurologic system and bringing it into normal drive mode,” Dr. Amin says. 

“Dr. Smith and Amin, what’s so special about them is that they’ll sit and listen,” Lindsay says. “They’ve been so patient and persistent with me. Dr. Smith has probably missed lunch hours just from answering my many questions and letting me express everything I wanted to say. And Dr. Amin has been relentless at peeling back and treating the layers of my pain with compassion.”

Link to Article
Dr. Tolga Suvar
Dr. Tolga Suvar, MD has been appointed Director of Cancer Pain Management
The department is proud to announce that Dr. Tolga Suvar, MD has been appointed Director of Cancer Pain Management here at the Rush University Medical Center.  Dr. Suvar, after residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences completed his fellowship in Pain Medicine, here at Rush, after which we were delighted that he chose to join our department.  Dr. Suvar’s expertise with chronic pain was refined with his tenure as a pain specialist at the Rush University Pain Center (UPC). We congratulate Dr. Suvar on this prestigious appointment and look forward to his continued success.
Oustanding Educator of the Year
Congratulations to Graham Lubinsky, MD, awarded the Outstanding Educator of the Year 2022, voted annually by the residents in the Department of Anethesiology.
Outstanding Mentor of the Year
Congratulations to Lisa Solomon, DO, awarded the Outstanding Mentor of the Year 2022, voted annually by the residents in the Department of Anethesiology.
RUMC Department of Anesthesiology Annual Holiday Party is Back!
The Department of Anesthesiology hosted their annual holiday party January 2023 at the Shedd Aquarium, just off the lakefront in downtown Chicago. It was a fun-filled night of laughter, a delicious dinner, decadent desserts and dancing. 
To view a slideshow of photos from this event click on the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MCYFx8bnHQLPQ3bXQAvN84Mgds1pwnHr/view?u…
Dr. Alisha Bhatia, MD, FASA
Congratulations to Dr. Bhatia on her invitation to become an ABA Examiner
Dr. Alisha Bhatia, MD, FASA was invited by the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) as an examiner for the applied ABA exam, which evaluates the ability to communicate professionally while probing technical competency, judgment, adaptability, and organization.  The department is honored that Dr. Bhatia was selected for such an important position, as ABA certification assures that anesthesiologists have the knowledge and skills to deliver the highest quality care.  Dr. Bhatia’s anesthesiology residency was conducted at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County with additional education at Brigham & Women’s Hospital for her Critical Care Medicine fellowship.  Dr. Bhatia has board certifications in Critical Care Medicine and Anesthesiology.
DEI Award
Congratulations to Aaron Varatharajan, MD,  Bishir Clayton MD, and Lisa P. Solomon DO, FASA recipients of the ISA and ASA diversity, equity and inclusion grants. 

DEI Award ISA ASA Anes department 2022

 

Congratulations to Andrew Keeney, DO and Theodore J. Jeske, DO for scoring in the top 10 percent among those who took the ABA Basic Examination this June 2022.

Pictured: Andrew Keeney, DO.

 

Pictured: Theodore J. Jeske, DO

 Vikash J. Patel, DO Recipient of the 2022 Robert D. Dripps, MD Memorial Award 
The award is presented annually to the outstanding graduate resident in Anesthesiology.
Haley M. Wardrip, MD Recipient of the 2022 Katalin Selmeczi, MD & Curt J Stokes, III MD Memorial Award
This award is given to the graduating resident in Anesthesiology who embodies the spirit, humanism, devotion, courage, and work ethic exemplified by Katalin Selmeczi, MD and Curt J. Stokes, MD.
Environmental Excellence Award Hamper Placement_Sign
Environmental Excellence Award
Rush University Medical Center was recently awarded a GOLD Award by Stryker Sustainability Solution’s team for their efforts to reduce waste.  In 2021 Rush diverted 10,000 pounds of waste. We are continuing to work toward more sustainable process, workflows, and operations in the coming years and appreciate the efforts of all the Rush teams.

 

 

Dr. Lisa Solomon, DO Portrait
Dr. Solomon interviewed on Millennials access to accurate medical information

 

A new study shows 37% of millennials, or those ages 25 to 34 years old, do not trust their health care providers.

The high prevalence of medical misinformation available for all ages has led to a greater push to educate the public. The U.S. Surgeon General declared public health misinformation an “urgent threat to public health” in October 2021. 

A recent study from Harmony Healthcare IT indicates that 69% of its millennial respondents searched online for health and medical advice instead of going to the doctor. In addition, 25% of these respondents reported they had also trusted online information to diagnose their symptoms accurately.  This can come at a dangerous health risk as over 70% of people have been exposed to medical or health-related misinformation.

While information is instantaneous and accessible for those with internet access, the problem with online medical information is the rapid exchange and spread of information that may not be credible, which leads to further confusion. In addition, patients may misdiagnose their medical issue, request unnecessary tests or delay treatment.

“As a board-certified cardiac anesthesiologist, I understand that physicians have the knowledge needed to diagnose and treat medical conditions and online sources do not replace the 12-14 years of medical school and residency. But physicians can do more to address medical misinformation.”

It is imperative that everyone, not just millennials, are extremely cautious of relying on unvetted online medical information. Misinformation is dangerous.

Link to Article

 Medical News KevinMD.com

Sanguino, Luis, MD at SNMA Conference 2022
Student National Medical Association (SNMA) 2022
This year the SNMA was hosted in Orland, FL and the department was proud to have Dr. Sanguino represent Rush University Medical Center and the Department of Anesthesiology.   Medical students of all education levels attend the SNMA’s Annual Medical Education Conference, which is consistently the largest gathering of underrepresented minority medical students in the nation.
“This was my first time attending the SNMA conference. During this conference I was extremely happy to meet many people from various ethnic backgrounds from high school all the way to medical school inquiring about Rush and Anesthesiology in particular. As a first generation Hispanic in the US and first physician in my family, I believe it is very important to continue to encourage young, underrepresented students to pursue a career in medicine and to show them that it is not impossible for people with a different ethnic and cultural heritage to become a physician.”
- Luis Sanguino, MD
Student National Medical Association (SNMA) logo

SNMA Conference 2022 Rush Anesthesiology

Jay L. Shils, PhD, D. ABNM, FASNM  - ABNM Chairperson
Dr. Jay L. Shils, PhD, D. ABNM, FASNM elected to chairperson of the of the American Board of Neurophysiological Monitoring (ABNM)
The department of Anesthesiology would like to congratulate Dr. Shils on his election as Chairman of the American Board of Neurophysiological Monitoring.  Additionally, he is the Director of Neurophysiological Intraoperative Monitoring as well as a Full Professor in the department of Anesthesiology at Rush.
Dr. Shils is an expert in Neuromodulation, Microelectrode recording, and Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring techniques and applications.
Link to ABNM  
Residents in a Room podcast ASA American Society of Anesthesiologists Drs. Petravick and Desai
Rush Residents Drs. Petravick and Desai featured on ASA Residents in a Room podcast - Discussing Technological Changes
Dr. Dillon Tinevez discusses how technological changes have impacted the practice of anesthesiology with fellow residents Drs. Shyam Desai, Mike Petravick, Janhavi Dhargalkar, Artush Grigoryan and Kannan Aravagiri. From apps and wearable technology to learning curves and evolving skill sets, guests consider the many ways technology has shaped anesthesiologists’ practices, skills, and experiences.
Listen to Residents in a Room Episode 36: Past to Present – Technological Changes
Link to Podcast on ASA website
Dr Buvanendran Cutting edge therapies without opioids
Dr. Buvanendran on FOX 32 - Cutting Edge Therapies for Chronic Pain Being Developed at Rush
Cutting edge therapies for chronic pain are being developed in Chicago at Rush hospital.
“The incidence of chronic pain is significant,” said Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran the Anesthesiology Department Chair at Rush University Medical Center. “In fact, it is much more than hypertension and diabetes combined,” he added.  
Rush is partnering with the National Institute of Health to identify where chronic pain originates and who is most susceptible to developing it.  
They are using MRI scans of the brain to get their results.  
“Traditionally, pain is reported by the patient, but we can actually see documented evidence now in the brain of the circuits that light up with chronic pain.  So that’s a really exciting and new field that’s developed over the years,” said Dr. Buvanendran
Instead of prescribing opioids, doctors are now able to insert electrodes surgically into the spine to stop pain signals before they reach the brain and trigger discomfort.   “So if you’re able to interrupt the signals in the process, you naturally can cut down the pain signals going to the brain, and therefore you decrease the pain perception,” said Dr. Buvanendran.
Link to Article and Video
Behnoosh Shayegan, MD, Shira Miller, MS, CCLS,
Helping Kids Navigate Surgery

Going into surgery is nerve-racking for anyone, but it can be especially frightening for children. Rush University Children’s Hospital has a new tool that is helping Rush’s youngest patients better understand their surgery experience and take on an active role in their care — all while having fun.
Behnoosh Shayegan, MD, director of pediatric anesthesiology, first got the idea for a tool like this while completing her anesthesiology fellowship. She witnessed what a difficult and stressful time this could be for children and dreamed of creating something fun and interactive that could help ease the anxiety of patients going through the surgical process.
Dr. Shayegan teamed up with Shira Miller, MS, CCLS, manager of child life and creative arts therapies, and the two thought through every stage of a patients’ journey into surgery from the moment they walk through the doors to discharge. The treasure map has been a longtime vision of Shayegan’s. 
I wanted to create an interactive tool that puts the patients themselves in charge of their care,” Dr. Shayegan says. “When kids are involved in something that they’re usually scared of, they tend to react more positively.
As patients make their way through the day of surgery and conquer each island on the treasure map, they get a sticker to mark the completion of another step. When the young explorers finally land at Recovery Island, aka the recovery room, they have reached the treasure and are able to collect a prize from a treasure box which includes small, age-appropriate toys. 

Link to Article

Anesthesiology Child Life Services Treasure Map

Behnoosh Shayegan, MD
Congratulations to Dr. Behnoosh Shayegan on her Promotion to Associate Professor!
It is with great please that we congratulate Dr. Shayegan, MD on her promotion within Rush Medical College to the rank of Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology.  Dr. Shayegan’s work as an anesthesiologist and as the Director of Pediatric Anesthesiology has brough her both academic and professional accolades, and we wish her continued success. 
Dr. Arvind Rajagopal, MD, MPH
Congratulations to Dr. Rajagopal on his promotion to Associate Professor
It is with great pleasure that we wish to announce the promotion of Dr. Arvind Rajagopal, MD, MPH, currently the director of the Anesthesiology residency program, to the rank of Associate Professor.  We are grateful for the many years of dedication he has shown to the anesthesiology department, and we hope for many more.
Sandeep Amin, MDBrian W. Birmingham, MD

Congratulations to Drs. Amin and Birmingham on their Promotion to Associate Professor

The Anesthesiology department would like to thank Dr. Sandeep Amin, MD, Director of Anesthesia Rush Oak Park Hospital, Medical director of the Rush Oak Park Pain Clinic, as well as Dr. Brain Birmingham, MD, Director Cardiac Anesthesiology & Liver Transplant Anesthesiology, for their contributions to the department and congratulate them on their well deserved promotion to Associate Professor. 
McDade
Guest Speaker William McDade, MD, PhD
Dr. William McDade recently presented Diversity and Inclusion in Graduate Medical Education at the Department of Anesthesiology’s weekly Grand Rounds.
 
William McDade, MD, PhD is Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Dr. McDade was recently appointed Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at Rush University Medical Center. He has been Chief Academic Officer/EVP for the Ochsner Health System, Professor and Deputy Provost at the University of Chicago, and Associate Dean at the Pritzker School of Medicine. He has served on the executive committee of the Joint Commission Board and has served on boards for the AMA, NBME, and ACGME.  He has been a President and Board Chair of local and state medical societies in Illinois and Chair of the National Medical Association’s Anesthesiology Section and the AMA’s Council on Medical Education.  He is a board-certified Anesthesiologist having graduated from the Prizker School Medical Scientist Training Program, earning a PhD in Biophysics and Theoretical Biology.  He completed an internal medicine internship at UChicago and his anesthesiology residency at the Massachusetts General Hospita.
solomon
Lisa Solomon, DO
Dr. Lisa Solomon joins Rush University Medical Center as an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology. She received her D.O at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her fellowship in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia at Loyola University. Recently, Dr. Solomon was published in ASA Monitor with the topic of “Health Literacy in Anesthesia: Moving the Needle in Health Equity.” To view the article, please click on the following link https://pubs.asahq.org/monitor/article/85/8/27/116105/Health-Literacy-in-Anesthesia-Moving-the-Needle-in 

 

Class of 2021 Resident and Farewell Dinner
On Saturday, June 5th, 2021, the Department of Anesthesiology hosted a small gathering to celebrate the Class of 2021 Anesthesiology Residents, Pain Medicine Fellows, and Regional Anesthesia Fellow. The event took place at Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse in downtown Chicago. Smiles and laughter filled the air as we all reflected on their past experiences and accomplishments while at Rush University Medical Center.
To view photos from this event and other departmental Instagram posts click on the following link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5etPOPu9i/?utm_medium=share_sheet

 

Schell
Jordan Schell, MD awarded the Robert D. Dripps, MD Memorial Award
The award is presented annually to the outstanding graduate resident in Anesthesiology.
Marsic
Teuta Marsic, MD awarded the Katalin Selmeczi, MD & Curt J. Stokes, III, MD Memorial Award
The award is given to the graduating resident who embodies the spirit, humanism, devotion, courage, and work ethic exemplified by Katalin Selmeczi, MD and Curt J. Stokes, MD.
 
Dr. Sarah Cocoma, MD
Dr. Cocoma awarded Non-Surgical Attending of the Year
Rush University Medical Center surgical residents have selected Dr. Sarah Cocoma as this years “Non-Surgical Attending of the Year”.  The anesthesiology department hardily congratulates Dr. Cocoma on wining this prestigious award.  The award was presented to Dr. Cocoma at  the surgical residents’ virtual graduation on June 26th, 2021.
Gorman, Darren, MD
Darren Gorman, MD, nominated for Hero of the Heart award
Hero of the Heart award
Darren Gorman, an anesthesiology resident, was nominated for the Hero of the Heart award on June 28, 2021 by the chaplain, Flora Tang.  It was for his involvement with an  extubation in the AICU.  Flora said, 
“I was the on-call chaplain on Thursday, 6/24/2021 evening, when Darren paged me to support the family of a patient on 10W who was being compassionately extubated. I witnessed how Darren supported the emotional needs of different members of the family while patiently answering medical questions and suggesting that they do not witness the extubation, while going out of his way to care for the family’s spiritual needs as well. I was able to feel how much care there was in the brief encounter for the grieving family’s wellbeing.
May you continue to be a source of both healing and inspiration to the entire Rush University Medical Center.  You are an exemplary credit to your profession and a true Hero of the Heart.”

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2021 ASA Resident Ambassador
Congratulations to Ryan Kuta, who was selected as a member of the 2021 American Society of Anesthesiologists Resident Experience team. Ryan will work with nine other peers across the country to create a new space for thoughtful, candid discussion in a private online environment built by and for residents.
Das Vaskar
2021 ASA “Best of Abstracts”

Congratulation to Dr. Vaskar Das on being awarded the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) 2021 conference “Best of Abstracts: Basic Science” for his abstract  ”Effect of Opioid and Ampa Antagonists on (2r,6r)-HNK (Hydroxynorketamine) Anti-hyperalgesic Activity” at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2021 Annual Meeting to be held in San Diego, California on Sunday, October 10th, 2021

Luis Sanguino
Pillsbury Trust Award
Congratulations to Luis Sanguino, one of this year’s recipients of the Pillsbury Trust Award. The Pillsbury Hospital Residents Trust was established to provide financial aid to residents and fellows during their advanced training in the various fields of medicine and surgery.
 
A Holiday Thanks to the Pediatric Anesthesiology Team A Holiday Thanks to the Pediatric Anesthesiology Team 
Child Life Services sends a huge shoutout to this team from University Anesthesiologists seen in the photo, who generously collected and donated toys for the pediatric patients in Rush University Children’s Hospital this holiday season. This donation was organized by Behnoosh Shayegan, MD, director of pediatric anesthesia, and Shira Miller, MS, CCLS, manager, Child Life.
Das Vaskar
2020 Schweppe Foundation Grant Award

Congratulation to Dr. Vaskar Das on the 2020 Schweppe Foundation Grant and Armour pilot grants (Ketamine Metabolite, (2R, 6R) - Hydroxynorketamine as an Alternative Analgesic Target in Low Back Pain, Evaluation of Direct and Indirect Analgesic Efficacy in a Murine Low Back Pain Model), he was recently selected using an NIH-style peer-review panel comprised of Rush research faculty members. These grants will allow development of preliminary data to enable the investigators to be competitive for future federal or private funding. Thank you to the review panel members and congratulations to the awardees! Dr. Das is the principal investigator on this award grant in collaboration with Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran and Dr. Robert McCarthy (Department of Anesthesiology).

 

Click here to view award recipients.

Maiko Yamashita Ellen Elpern Voice of the APRN award
Maiko Yamashita, CRNA winner of the Ellen Elpern Voice of the APRN award for 2020

Maiko Yamashita, CRNA has been selected as the winner of the Ellen Elpern Voice of the APRN award for 2020. This is the first time that a CRNA has been awarded this Rush system-wide recognition for excellence in practice, mentoring and leadership.

 

Congratulations Maiko on this outstanding achievement!!

Faculty News  
Get your elective surgeries in now, some doctors say
As elective surgeries get the green light to resume, some patients may have concerns about getting surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. As elective surgeries begin to resume, some doctors are recommending their patients have surgery now in case there is another spike in COVID cases.  Parag Patel, MD, an anesthesiologist at Rush University Medical Center stated, “We keep up-to-date with all the most current guidelines put out there by the Department of Public Health as well as the CDC.”   

For elective surgeries, hospitals are implementing new protocols to keep everyone safe.

Dr. Parag Patel COVID Elective Surgeries“We do a screening out front before they come in. Check their temperatures. Check for any symptoms. We are testing all of our patients for COVID before they come in for surgery,” said Dr. Patel.

Link to Video 

Pain Management Best Practices from Multispecialty Organizations during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Public Health Crises
Pain Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Buvanendran and colleagues have come together to address pain management and care during the COVID-19 Pandemic with a recent publication: 
Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the world, is associated with multiple psychiatric co-morbidities, and has been causally linked for the opioid crisis. Access to pain treatment has been called a fundamental human right by numerous organizations. The current COVID-19 pandemic has strained medical resources, creating a dilemma for physicians charged with a responsibility to limit spread of the contagion, and their responsibility to treat the patients they are entrusted to care for. To address these issues, an expert panel was convened that included pain management experts from the military, Veterans Health Administration, and academia.
Dr. Christopher O'Connor - COVID-19
Dr. Christopher O’Connor: Treating COVID-19 “like nothing I’ve ever seen” Article in the Daily Herald

This week started with O’Connor manning a newly outfitted intensive care unit specially designed to treat COVID-19 patients.  “A COVID patient who has viral pneumonia, they are a different animal completely,” says O’Connor, a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Schaumburg. “They are more challenging to ventilate.”
Starting work in a new ICU, similar to a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) used during wars with professionals spanning medical fields, resulted in O’Connor working with people for the first time. People had “some trepidation about what would happen, but we all came together. I was proud people came together very quickly as a team,” he says.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists has issued statements on the complications of using one ventilator for multiple patients and converting anesthesia gas machines to ICU ventilators, and a list of resources for anesthesiologists and health care professionals.

Das Vaskar
Dr. Vaskar Das, PhD awarded the 2021 Cohn Fellowship
Dr. Vaskar Das, Ph.D., joined Rush University Medical Center as an instructor and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anesthesiology and currently continuing his research in collaboration with Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran MD, Dr. Jeffrey Kroin, Ph.D. and Robert J McCarthy, Pharm D. His research has broadly focused on new non-opioid treatments for acute and chronic pain mechanism by following (i) the key energy sensor AMPK (adenosine mono-phosphate activated kinase) & (ii) the analgesic effect of the ketamine metabolite, (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine that could be the unique targets in pain therapeutics which could replace opioids. His Cohn research will expand to assess the analgesic efficiency and mechanisms of AMPK activators providing a much needed pharmacological understanding of AMPK activators for low back pain, and post-surgical pain. This project will establish a framework for the rational understanding of pain and will help to evaluate AMPK activators for improving pain management and replacing opioids.  

 

lubenow
Dr. Timothy Lubenow featured in Chicago Magazine’s 2020 List of Top Doctors
356 physicians in more than 60 specialties have been chosen by their peers as the finest in the Chicago area. Congratulations to Dr. Lubenow for achieving this recognition.
 

 

Asokumar Buvanandran, MD, Recognized by HHS for Contributions to Acute and Chronic Pain

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), along with ASA Pain Committee Chair, Asokumar Buvanendran, M.D., were acknowledged by the Chief Medical Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for demonstrating early support of the HHS Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force and for providing input on best practice recommendations for acute and chronic pain. Congratulations to Dr. Buvanendran!

 

David M. Rothenberg, MD, FCCM, Receives the Distinguished Service Award for ” Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of Anesthesiology in Illinois from the Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists

 

 

                                 

        Asokumar Buvanandran, MD, Appointed President of American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine

Originally founded in 1923, ASRA was reborn in 1975 and is the largest subspecialty medical society in Anesthesiology. With approximately 4,500 members, the society has rich international distribution and rising attendance at annual meetings and scientific presentations. Dr. Buvanendran’s ASRA presidency will last through April 2019 and include hosting the World Congress of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, an event not scheduled to occur in the United States for another 24 years and expected to attract more than 3,000 delegates.

 

Resident News

American Society of Pain and Neuroscience

July 13-16, 2023 | Miami Beach, FL

 

The following Rush resident presented:

Shyam Desai, MD, Christopher Massey, MD and Sandeep Amin, MD: Escheria coli Backterial Meningitis after Intrathecal Pump Implantation.

https://scahq.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCA-AM-Reg-Open-Banner_2400x600.jpg

Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists

May 6-9, 2023 | Portland, OR

The following Rush resident presented:

Bishir Clayton, MD and Arvind Rajagopal, MD: Undiagnosed Antiphospholipid Syndrome in a Patient Preparing To Undergo Open Heart Surgery for Mitral Valve Regurgitation

SOAP Annual Meeting 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology

May 3-7, 2023 | New Orleans, LA

 

The following Rush residents presented:

Justin Shang, DO and Michael Holland, MD: Anesthetic Considerations for a Parturient with Subglottic Stenosis and Multiple Sclerosis

 

Daniel Webster, MD and Alisha Bhatia, MD: An Uncommon Initial Presentation of Amniotic Fluid Embolism