Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology

The faculty members of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology are skilled clinicians who provide anesthesia services for over 1,400 cases a year in state-of-the-art operating rooms (OR’s) as well as the electrophysiology, and cardiac catheterization laboratories. The University of Maryland Medical Center offers advanced cardiopulmonary life supports, including ventricular assist device, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to critically-ill patients.

Our division members work closely with surgeons, perfusionists, and intensivists in a wide variety of cases, including minimally invasive valve repairs, coronary revascularization, major aortic surgery, ventricular assist device placement, transplantations, and adult congenital procedures. During these procedures, our division provides perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) service with the help of sonographers using 4 TEE machines with 3D imaging capabilities.

The members of our team constantly strive to improve the quality of care for cardiovascular patients, and we critically review our performances in blood conservation, thromboprophylaxis, and infection control. Collaborative atmosphere among different specialities is the strength of our medical center.

Faculty

Fellows

Jennifer Kaplan, MD
Vincent Reformato, MD
Camron Wipfli, MD

Sonographers

Inna Shats, MA, BS, RDCS, FASE, Chief Sonographer - EMAIL
Bobby Ezzati, RCS - EMAIL
Kristen Jordan, RDCS - EMAIL
Sarah Krejak, RDCS - EMAIL

Education and Research

Education: Our faculty members are very active in teaching residents, fellows, and medical students in and out of OR’s. Anesthesiology residents are exposed to a wide variety of anesthetic techniques along with TEE, and blood conservation techniques. Advanced fellowship training provides further specialization in cardiothoracic anesthesiology by providing extensive TEE training, patient blood management, and research opportunities. Three of our members currently serve as a junior ABA board examiner.

Research: The members of our division are active in conducting research of their own, participating in multi-center clinical trials, and supporting cardiac surgeons in evaluating new surgical techniques, and cardiopulmonary devices. One of the major research focuses is coagulation monitoring in complex cardiac surgery. Professor Tanaka utilizes multiple advanced coagulation monitoring techniques which include viscoelastic coagulation testing, thrombin generation assay, flow-chamber system, and computer-simulated modeling.

Recently published peer-reviewed original/review articles from the division are as follows:

‌Abuelkasem E, Mazzeffi M, Lu SY, Planinsic RM, Sakai T, Tanaka K. Ex vivo evaluation of 4 different viscoelastic assays for detecting moderate to severe coagulopathy during liver transplantation. Liver Transplantation 2016;22:468-75

Franklin SW, Szlam F, Fernandez JD, Leong T, Tanaka KA, Guzzetta NA. Optimizing thrombin generation with 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrates in neonatal plasma after cardiopulmonary bypass. Anesth Analg 2016; 122:935-42

Mazzeffi M, Greenwood J, Tanaka K, Menaker J, Rector R, Herr D, Kon Z, Lee J. Bleeding, transfusion, mortality on extracorporeal life support: ECLS Working Group on Thrombosis and Hemostasis. Ann Thorac Surg 2016;101:682-9

Mazzeffi M, Johnson K, Paciullo C. Ketamin in adult cardiac surgery and the cardiac surgery intensive care unit: An evidence-based clinical review. Ann Card Anaesth 2015;18:202-9

Mazzeffi M, Kassa W, Gammie J, Tanaka K, Roman P, Zhan M, Griffith B, Rock P. Preoperative aspirin use and lung injury after aortic valve replacement surgery: A retrospective cohort study. Anesth Analg 2015;121:271-7