Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine

MD Anderson’s Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine department announced the revival of its new Anesthesiologist-led Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) Lab, which will further enhance patient safety and care. This initiative builds on a rich history, as MD Anderson was one of the first institutions to establish a CPET Lab over 21 years ago. Professor Anh Dang, M.D., was a former postdoctoral fellow in the original lab and is now leading the charge. In 2018, Dang assembled a team, collaborating with colleagues from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Southampton. The team included Shital Vachhani, M.D.; Jonathan Wilks, M.D.; Benjamin Arnold, M.D.; Teresa Moon, M.D. and January Tsai, M.D., who traveled to the University of Southampton for specialized CPET training. In 2021, Ifey Ifeanyi, M.D., joined the CPET team to lead the clinical development in partnership with the Department of Pulmonary Medicine. Leading the research effort, Dang (PI) wrote Protocol 2005-0303: A Pilot Study to Assess the Functional Capacity of Esophageal and Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Therapy. In 2024, Stephanie Bradley, M.D., joined the CPET lab and oversees patient screening and enrollment. Lab members anticipate completing enrollment for the study in fiscal year 2025 and plan to initiate an intervention trial to evaluate the effects of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on the patient cohort. The aim is to formalize a collaboration with An Ngo-Huang, D.O., from the Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine to establish a comprehensive clinical pathway for optimizing preoperative care for high-risk surgical patients. 

MD Anderson Cancer Center officially opened the Northwest Houston Surgical & Specialty Care outpatient center on December 4, 2023. Before opening, various institutional teams collaborated to manage the facility build-out, with significant contributions from the Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine department. Responsibilities included coordinating equipment needs, streamlining workflow processes, and establishing criteria for surgical case types and patient populations. The center spans 80,000 square feet across three stories and features three operating rooms, supporting specialties such as Breast, Gynecologic Oncology, Melanoma, Pain Management, Plastics and Urology. Since opening, the department has continued to play a vital role in patient care at the facility. We are pleased to announce that one of our faculty members, Jeff Cerny, M.D., serves as the facility’s first medical director. Anesthesiologists at this location are responsible for operating room care and overnight patient coverage, ensuring comprehensive support by coordinating with surgical providers and addressing any patient care issues as they arise. Looking ahead, the facility will expand with a second phase set to open in January 2026, which will include an Ambulatory Treatment Center and an expanded pharmacy with 30 beds and additional procedural spaces. The Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine department remains committed to advancing medical care through institutional collaboration and the development of future procedure suites. 

MD Anderson launched a new Anesthesia Technology Fast Track Program in May 2024. The 10-week, online course is designed to help anesthesia technicians advance their careers and meet certification requirements. The program is aimed at technicians interested in continuing education to qualify for certification testing and aligns with the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT) standards. Sally Raty, M.D., Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, worked with Education & Training’s Education Development and Innovation (EDI) team to develop an instructor-led course that fully meets all ASATT’s continuing education unit requirements. MD Anderson’s anesthesia tech certification prep course is only the second of its kind to debut in the nation and currently offers the shortest path to completion. "We've pinpointed a crucial need in anesthesia tech professional development, and MD Anderson is thrilled to offer a solution. Our new course provides a streamlined approach for technicians within our institution and across the United States,” Raty says. “We look forward to seeing the impact this course will have on current technicians and the next generation of anesthesia specialists."  

Our Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine faculty are dedicated to enhancing patient care and improving clinical outcomes. The following publications highlight FY24 research contributions related to anesthesia and surgery. The studies encompass a range of topics, including the effects of colchicine on atrial fibrillation, mechanisms of hypertension linked to NMDA receptors and the implications of regional analgesia on cancer recurrence. Additional investigations cover advancements in anesthesia techniques, perioperative management strategies, and the safety of patients with specific health conditions.  

• Conen, David et al. “Effect of colchicine on perioperative atrial fibrillation and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery in patients undergoing major thoracic surgery (COP-AF): an international randomised trial.” Lancet (London, England) vol. 402,10413 (2023): 1627-1635. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01689-6 

• Zhou, Jing-Jing et al. “Brain α2δ-1-Bound NMDA Receptors Drive Calcineurin Inhibitor-Induced Hypertension.” Circulation research vol. 133,7 (2023): 611-627. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.322562 

• Cata, Juan P, and Daniel I Sessler. “Lost in Translation: Failure of Preclinical Studies to Accurately Predict the Effect of Regional Analgesia on Cancer Recurrence.” Anesthesiology vol. 140,3 (2024): 361-374. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000004823 

• Gan, Tong J et al. “Comparison of the Efficacy of HSK3486 and Propofol for Induction of General Anesthesia in Adults: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled, Phase 3 Noninferiority Trial.” Anesthesiology vol. 140,4 (2024): 690-700. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000004886

• Saugel, Bernd et al. “PeriOperative Quality Initiative (POQI) international consensus statement on perioperative arterial pressure management.” British journal of anaesthesia vol. 133,2 (2024): 264-276. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2024.04.046  

• Lumsden, Sarah et al. “Intraoperative Methadone Administration Is Not Associated With an Increase in Perioperative Use of Naloxone: A Retrospective Study.” Anesthesia and analgesia vol. 138,5 (2024): 1145-1147. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000006815 

• Bartels, Karsten et al. “Perioperative Quality Improvement: Opportunities and Challenges for Pragmatic Trial Designs.” Anesthesia and analgesia vol. 138,3 (2024): 514-516. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000006838 

• Wright, Crystal et al. “Navigating professionalism challenges: Impact on patient safety.” Journal of clinical anesthesia vol. 95 (2024): 111427. doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2024.111427 

• Ceban, Felicia et al. “Perioperative adverse events in adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea undergoing ambulatory surgery: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of clinical anesthesia vol. 96 (2024): 111464. doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2024.111464 

• Ghosh, Krishna et al. “DNA demethylation in the hypothalamus promotes transcription of Agtr1a and Slc12a2 and hypertension development.” The Journal of biological chemistry vol. 300,2 (2024): 105597. doi:10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105597