Our Approach to Pediatric Anesthesiology
Montefiore Einstein Pediatric Anesthesiology provides comprehensive, compassionate and personalized perioperative anesthesia care for children of all ages, from newborns to adolescents. Our multidisciplinary team of internationally-recognized pediatric anesthesiologists has unparalleled expertise in pain medicine and perioperative, periprocedural and critical care for the most complex and high-risk pediatric cases. Our specialized team comprises pediatric anesthesiology faculty, fellows, nurse practitioners, child life specialists, pharmacists and other professionals who provide exceptional care for our patients undergoing some of the most complex surgeries in the country. We collaborate closely with providers across every pediatric specialty to deliver state-of-the-art treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of each child and their family. We are committed to ensuring patient safety and the highest quality patient- and family-centered care, enhancing comfort, and advancing the field of pediatric anesthesiology. Our anesthesiologists perform anesthesia for more than 5,000 surgical cases each year across all subspecialties at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein (CHAM), consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals according to U.S. News & World Report.
Clinical Excellence
Our board certified pediatric anesthesiologists are specially trained in conditions specific to children. They understand the differences in disease processes, physical development and drug metabolism in children, while also addressing the distinct psychosocial needs of these young patients and their families. Our physicians care for premature babies, newborns, children and adolescents for all pediatric subspecialties, ranging from routine surgery for ear, nose, throat, genitourinary operations and general surgery to complex procedures such as craniofacial reconstruction, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, congenital cardiac surgery and organ transplantation.
Advanced Treatments
We offer access to the most advanced pediatric anesthesiology techniques and technologies to help improve patient safety and provide the highest quality of care for our patients. Our pediatric anesthesiologists provide the latest evidence-based and personalized perioperative anesthesia care for pediatric patients, ranging in age from premature neonates to adolescents, in the operating rooms as well as off-site locations. They continuously monitor each patient’s vital functions and modify anesthetics to help ensure optimal safety and comfort during each procedure.
Our team provides the full range of pediatric anesthesia services including local, regional, sedation and general anesthesia in infants and children undergoing a wide range of procedures. These include neurological surgery, thoracic, cardiac, orthopedic, urologic, craniofacial and transplant surgery, cardiac catheterizations, diagnostic imaging, interventional radiology procedures, gastrointestinal endoscopies, and bronchoscopies. We also provide acute pain services for patient-controlled epidural analgesia, perineural catheters and regional nerve blocks.
Research
Montefiore Einstein Pediatric Anesthesiology is dedicated to improving perioperative care and outcomes for our youngest patients. We are leading collaborative research and spearheading numerous studies and clinical trials, some of which are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), investigating a wide range of clinical research areas related to anesthesia and anesthesia outcomes. Our pediatric anesthesiologists regularly collaborate with colleagues throughout CHAM on interdisciplinary research projects that will have an impact on future patients’ perioperative health. We are also committed to perioperative health disparity research to ensure equitable pediatric perioperative care.
Our pediatric anesthesiologists regularly publish in high-impact journals and conduct retrospective research studies that allow us to have a better understanding of how to improve anesthesia care to ensure the best postoperative outcomes. The findings of one study were recently published in the British Journal of Anesthesia and demonstrate the association between increased use of dexmedetomidine and longer lengths of stay in the postanesthesia care unit from a cohort of nearly 20,000 pediatric patients who received care at our institution. We also recently developed and validated a score for predicting the likelihood of postoperative respiratory complications in infants and children (SPORC-C), the findings of which were published in the British Journal of Anesthesia.
Our division is proud to have one of the few NIH K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award recipients in the country, Jerry Chao, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatric Anesthesiology, who leads research on the effects of anesthesia in pediatric patients. His team conducts observational studies using electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring in infants and young children to examine brain activity during general and spinal anesthesia. This work aims to deepen our understanding of neurodevelopment and ultimately enhance the safety and quality of care for all children requiring anesthesia.
Other areas of investigation include outcomes research in the treatment of pediatric scoliosis, opioid sparing techniques in children, and pediatric pulmonary hypertension. Our faculty are regularly invited to participate in panels and workshops focusing on pediatric patients at regional, national and international conferences.
Pediatric Anesthesiology Education & Training
At Montefiore Einstein Anesthesiology, we are committed to training the next generation of pediatric anesthesiologists. Residents and fellows are provided extensive clinical and research opportunities, structured didactics, and broad exposure to a wide range of pediatric surgeries and interventions. Our trainees are involved in all aspects of perioperative patient care. The anesthesiology residency curriculum synthesizes didactic education, science and clinical practice, engaging residents in research projects spanning many sectors of perioperative pediatric anesthesia and surgical care. Our team also collaborates with the Department of Pediatrics and Department of Surgery on interdisciplinary educational programs such as simulation workshops.
Through our one-year ACGME-accredited Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship, fellows gain the expertise required to become consultants in pediatric anesthesiology. Comprehensive, collaborative training is provided, allowing our fellows to learn the skills necessary to deliver the highest level of care for our pediatric patients. Our Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellows are also given opportunities to present their research at local and national meetings. Our goal is to foster the careers of our trainees, preparing them for modern clinical practice.
Your Pediatric Anesthesiology Team
William M. Jackson, MD, MS
Olubukola O. Nafiu, MD, MS
Our pediatric anesthesiologists collaborate closely with pediatric surgeons, pediatricians and providers across all pediatric subspecialties to enhance patient safety and provide the highest quality of care for our patients. We develop personalized treatment plans tailored to each child, ensuring we provide the best patient- and family-centered care throughout the periprocedural or perioperative period.
