Several faculty participated in welcome videos for international visitors to Pittsburgh during the G20 summit. Please click on the links below to view the videos:

Dr. Rita Merman
Dr. Anna Uskova
Dr. Andrea Fanelli
Dr. Daniela Ghisi
Dr. Jacques E. Chelly

Dr. Gligor Joins UPMC Beacon

Dr. Silviu Gligor has joined the faculty of UPMC Beacon Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Gligor is a consultant specialist anesthetist who joins Beacon from Lille, France where has been working for the past year. Dr. Gligor received his medical school training in Romania and later moved to France where he completed his anesthesia residency. He subsequently spent a number of years at UPMC before relocating to Lille and now Dublin. Dr. Gligor will be providing specialist anesthesia services in both theatre and the ICU. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Silviu Gligor to UPMC Beacon Hospital.

Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management Book Published

Drs. Paul Bigeleisen, along with co-authors Jacques Chelly and Steven Orebaugh, has published a book titled Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management.  Several department faculty and fellows contributed to the book, including: Drs. Alon Ben-Ari, Bruce Ben-David, Mario Montoya, Manuel Vallejo, David Burns, Malena Moreno, Nizar Moayeri, Daniella Ghisi, Andrea Fanelli, and James Chien. The book covers principles of sonography and applied anatomy, nerve blocks of the upper and lower extremities and trunk and spine in adults, nerve blocks in children, pain management, and evolving trends in ultrasound. Sections of the book have won four international awards and the section on applied anatomy was featured in the journal Science

Malignant Hyperthermia Articles Published

Three Anesthesiology faculty have published articles featured in the October issue of Anesthesia Analgesia, which features a series of articles on the topic of malignant hyperthermia. Dr. Jerome Parness authored a review article titled “The Myotonias and Susceptibility to Malignant Hyperthermia,” and Drs. Barbara Brandom and Peter Davis wrote an editorial titled “The Association of Malignant Hyperthermia and Unusual Disease: When You’re Hot You’re Hot or Maybe Not.” Dr. Brandom is the director of the North American Malignant Hyperthermia Registry.

Dr. Kaynar Receives NIH K08 Grant

Dr. Murat Kaynar, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and CCM, was recently awarded an NIH K08 grant. Dr. Kaynar studies the role of various members of the matrix metalloproteinase family in sepsis and sepsis-associated acute lung injury.  He uses a mouse model with various gene-deficient mice to study the role of particular proteins. Sepsis, a disease with high rates of mortality as well as impact to the whole medical system, is commonly managed by the anesthesiologist in perioperative settings.

Congratulations, Dr. Kaynar!

The Department of Anesthesiology would like to announce its Fifth Annual UPMC Pain Management Symposium, to be held November 6–8, 2009 at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa. The Symposium will be hosted by  Cheryl Bernstein MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine;  Jacques E. Chelly MD, PhD, MBA, Director of Acute Interventional Perioperative Pain and Regional Anesthesia;  Colleen J. Dunwoody MS, RN-BC, Advanced Practice Nurse - Pain Management; and Lois Pizzi BSN, RN-BC, Inpatient Pain Management Coordinator.

Day one of the symposium will consist of a nursing program; day two will include both an acute and a chronic pain track, with a keynote speech given by Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA); and the final day will include an ultrasound workshop. For course details and registration information please visit: https://ccehs.upmc.edu/formalCourses.jsp#2122.