Advanced Airway Management Fellowship

The purpose of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Advanced Airway Management Fellowship is to provide supervised training to board-certified or board eligible anesthesiologists in the practice of Advance Airway Management. Fellows will have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge base and master the most advanced techniques of airway management. After completion of this one-year fellowship training, the individual should be able to manage the most complex and challenging airways. The fellow will be familiar with techniques of invasive airway management and their corresponding indications, airway management algorithms, and guidelines should be mastered.

Overall, this one-year fellowship program consisting of clinical training, teaching, and research components will prepare future experts to not only serve as valuable resources for enhancing airway safety in clinical practice, but also in the development of airway-related teaching and research for the future. They will have the skills and resources that will allow them to continue their professional development even after their fellowship training, and they can serve as competent, comprehensive anesthesia consultants for both routine and complex airway management patients in a variety of settings and clinical practices.

Based on the challenges and airway failures that have occurred in the US and worldwide, we know that 25% of all anesthesia related deaths are airway management-related issues handled by the most experienced airway experts in the medical field. This suggests that the experiences in airway management of the average anesthesiologist are not sufficient to handle the more difficult, sophisticated airways. Although airway management is an essential skill set for routine anesthetic practice, the life-saving measures in unexpected medical emergencies often call an airway expert to perform.

As the premier cancer hospital in the world, MD Anderson provides an excellent resource for clinical material and professional expertise. Fellows will be exposed to extensive pathology and anatomic changes in the airway resulting from airway cancer diseases and corresponding anti-cancer therapies, including radiation and surgery in the upper aero-digestive tract. This exposure gives trainees a unique opportunity for educational advancement. This training will enable the fellow to become a specialist in the field of airway management.

Program objectives include:  

• Perform competently all procedures considered essential for the area of practice, including evaluation of airway imaging study, performing bedside airway assessment by flexible laryngoscopy and variety of advanced airway management skills.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of inhalational anesthetics, intravenous anesthetics, local anesthetics, and opioids and their effects on airway management.
• Demonstrate understanding of the practice guidelines in airway management and its pathways in complex airway management scenarios.
• Demonstrate understanding of perioperative acute pain management and its effect on the airway – especially the effect of opioids.
• Perform transtracheal, superior laryngeal, and glossopharyngeal nerve blocks.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate airway-related literature and apply scientific evidence to decision making.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively supervise the clinical care of adult and pediatric patients by more junior trainees and other anesthesia providers.