The IARS is committed to advancing the field of anesthesiology through a number of research and educational initiatives that benefit not only practicing anesthesiologists but also patients of all ages. We strive to provide you with the latest news through several education newsletters as well as the important updates on this page.
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Latest News
Perioperative Plasma in Addition to Red Blood Cell Transfusions Is Associated With Increased Venous Thromboembolism Risk Postoperatively
JULY 26, 2024
As noted in large, well conducted studies, there is a significant independent risk of venous thromboembolism in surgical patients who receive red cell transfusions. Although plasma transfusions are given in surgical patients for a separate indication, the additive exposure of plasma transfusions may increase risk further for venous thromboembolism (VTE) events. In this month’s featured article, authors examine the question of whether plasma transfusions in addition to red cell transfusions increase risk of VTE compared to red cell transfusions in surgical patients. There may be immunological and non-immunological mechanisms for why perioperative plasma transfusions may be associated with higher VTE events. The cover art shows the risks/benefits of plasma transfusions which is what we weigh for decision making in much of anesthesia. Clinical trials investigating plasma transfusions have high variability in outcomes making it impossible to perform meta-analyses. Yet, plasma transfusions are ubiquitous in surgical patients. Large, prospective trials examining independent risks of plasma transfusions for treatment and prevention of bleeding with a development of core outcome sets are highly needed. Patient blood management has focused tremendous efforts in preventing excess red cell transfusions and there should similarly, be an emphasis on preventing unnecessary transfusions of plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate.
Sugammadex-Associated Anaphylaxis: Summary and Proposed Management
August 2024 A&A Video Summary: Featured Articles
JULY 26, 2024
View this video summary covering three featured articles from the August 2024 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
2019 IARS Mentored Research Award Recipient Interview: Benedict Alter, MD, PhD
JULY 26, 2024
Study: Mechanisms and Translational Application of Endogenous Analgesia
Since his experience in graduate school working with Robert Gereau, PhD, in the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University in St. Louis, Benedict Alter, MD, PhD, has been fascinated with the neuroscience of pain and has sought to investigate fundamental processes related to pain perception, the pathophysiology of chronic pain, and improving pain management through scientific discovery as his main career path as a physician-scientist. In 2019, his determination to reach this goal paid off when he was recognized with the IARS Mentored Research Award for his research on “Mechanisms and Translational Application of Endogenous Analgesia.” A Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at University of Pittsburgh at the time, Dr. Alter and his mentor Ajay Wasan, MD, MSc, initially set out to explore a lab-based, experimental pain paradigm via in-person testing and see whether it could be applied as a non-opioid therapy. Immediately after receiving the IMRA, Dr. Alter was promoted to Assistant Professor and Director of Translational Pain Research in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.
Unfortunately, shortly after, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic hit and he was forced to delay the research project. Once the opportunity to begin arose again, Dr. Alter had to pivot his research approach towards chronic pain phenotyping, initially using informatic approaches and then lab-based quantitative sensory testing. Today, this investigation is ongoing and making progress. Dr. Alter has discovered that data from a pain assessment, asking patients to report where their pain is on their body on a digital body map, could be used to identify clinically distinct subgroups of patients with different diagnoses and treatment outcomes. Additionally, the research has uncovered that by using machine learning, applied only to the digital body map, these tests can be completed in seconds prior to a clinic visit, making this approach highly attractive for clinical application. This important investigation continues to evolve, edging closer to identifying strategies for personalizing pain management to improve patient care. Not only did the IMRA help Dr. Alter develop tools to examine pain physiology in humans and advance his career, but it also helped him to obtain a highly competitive NIH K23 to continue this vital work. In his interview, he reflects on his research journey, some of the outcomes from his study so far, and his hopes for the future of anesthesia research.
Save the Date! 2025 Annual Meeting, Presented by IARS and SOCCA, March 20-23, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii
JULY 26, 2024
You won’t want to miss this meeting. The 2025 Annual Meeting, presented by IARS and SOCCA, will be in Honolulu, Hawaii, March 20-23, 2025.
Built by the anesthesiology research and critical care community, the meeting’s mission is to generate and disseminate transformative breakthroughs in anesthesiology and perioperative medicine while growing and supporting scientists and clinicians worldwide. Our meeting aspires to lead the global anesthesiology community in advancing the science and practice of medicine.
Learn More
Women in Anesthesia Online Community
JULY 26, 2024
The Women in Anesthesia Online Community, supported by IARS and DocMatter, is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive space for women physicians to discuss advocacy, mentorship, and other topics pertinent to the success of women practicing in the field of anesthesia.
Upcoming Webinar: The Crossroads of Hematology and Intensive Care Medicine on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET
JULY 26, 2024
In the face of blood shortages, ICU doctors are adopting innovative strategies like targeted coagulopathy management for complex patients, carefully weighing each thrombotic risk. DOAC reversal is a technique gaining momentum worldwide, necessitating a deep understanding of its mechanisms for devising effective policies, enhancing patient care, and formulating strategies for treatment failure. The global rise in the use of ECMO and mechanical circulatory support due to COVID and chronic heart failure presents us with a unique set of challenges. In this webinar, you will explore and understand the intersections of anticoagulation, bleeding and thrombosis, paving the way for better patient outcomes and healthcare approaches.
Moderator: Ingrid Moreno Duarte, MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Children’s Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Presenters
ECMO Anticoagulation: Towards Innovation and Paradigm Shifts
Alberto Furzan, MD, Cardiac Anesthesiologist and Intensivist, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
Direct Oral Anticoagulant Reversal: 2024 Update
Ian J. Welsby, MBBS, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Hemostasis Algorithms in the ICU: Evidence Review
Sreekanth R. Cheruku, MD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management and Co-Medical Director, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
View the 2024 webinar schedule.
View Recordings from Previous Webinars
JULY 26, 2024
Missed a previous webinar? IARS full members can access a valuable library of recordings from previous webinars from 2021, 2022 and 2023. Plus, take advantage of opportunities to claim Enduring Material CME credits.
Learn more and access this valuable learning today!
Session Videos from the 2023 Annual Meeting Available
JULY 26, 2024
IARS full members can now access session recordings from 2023 Annual Meetings as well as a video library from the 2018-2022 meetings.
Additionally, full members may claim CME credit from the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Annual Meetings.
Access this forward-looking education today!
Discover Anesthesia Community Activities on the Events Calendar
JULY 26, 2024
View meetings and events from the IARS and the anesthesia community on the Anesthesia Community Events Calendar. If you have a meeting or event you would like to include on this calendar, email [email protected]. Please include the date, time, location and website URL for the meeting or event.
Join OpenAnesthesia.org for Free to Explore All Our Resources!
JULY 26, 2024
We want to know more about you so we can continue to create the curated content you seek!
OA-SOAP Fellows Webinar Series
JULY 26, 2024
Kelly Fedoruk, MD, FRCPC, presents “From Contraction to Action: Quality Improvement in OB Anesthesia.”
International Anesthesia Research Society
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