Workshops & Seminars

Anesthesia Machine Workshop

Course Directors: Ling Qun Hu, MD, Sherif Afifi, MD, FCCP, FCCM, and Roger Johnson, CBET

The Anesthesia Machine Workshop has been developed primarily for housestaff, CRNAs, respiratory therapists, and anesthesia technicians although interested faculty are encouraged to attend. The focus of this hands-on workshop is for participants to learn how to use different models of anesthesia machine, properly inspect machines and trouble shoot common problems while emphasizing patient safety. In addition, the workshop will provide residents with the knowledge to correctly answer the anesthesia equipment questions on the anesthesiology board examinations.The workshop also provides a great opportunity for participants to meet and talk with experts in the field, including anesthesiologists and anesthesia machine/biomedical engineers. One of the highlights of the workshop will be working on Professor Samsun Lampotang’s Augmented Virtual Anesthesia Machine. The workshop is a joint venture of experienced and well-established anesthesia machine faculty from several academic medical centers including Northwestern University, Medical College of Wisconsin, and University of Florida.

2012 Workshop Brochure

Learning Objectives

Use simulation to teach participants various aspects of anesthesia machine basics and safety features
Use hands-on techniques to teach participants how to identify equipment problems, locating the cause and determining workable solutions
Practice FDA/ASA-recommended pre-use machine inspections.
Ascertain growth of knowledge and efficacy by providing participants with a pre- and post- self-assessment skills evaluation

Airway Management Workshop

Course Director: Gail Randel, MD

Conduction of the airway management workshop is a joint effort between faculty from the Department of Anesthesiology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Children's Memorial Hospital and faculty from the Department of Otolaryngology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In addition, Dr. David Ferson, the director of Neuroanesthesia from the Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas and Dr. George Arndt, professor of anesthesiology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, provide a lecture and hands-on demonstrations. The workshop occurs all day, every-other year in the spring. All residents participate in the workshop.

Learning Objectives

To become familiar with different methods of anesthetizing the airway such as superior laryngeal nerve blocks, translaryngeal nerve blocks, and topical application of local anesthesia through the suction port of the fiberscope, atomizing, or topical application.
To learn how to properly handle and care for the fiberscope, laryngeal mask, ventilating stylet and trachlight
To understand the role, use and complication of different airway devices, such as the bougie, cook catheter, and jet ventilator
To learn correct placement of and trouble-shoot of double lumen tube.
To become familiar with the approach to intubating a pediatric patient with an adult fiberscope
To learn how to perform a cricothyrodotomy including indications and complications

Crichothyrotomy Laboratory Practicum

Course Director: Robert Gould, MD

The crichothyrotomy practicum combines cadaveric dissections in the gross anatomy lab at the medical school with didactics from faculty. The goal of the practicum is for residents to develop an understanding of airway anatomy required for emergent cricothyroidotomy. The practicum occurs on a Saturday once a year in the fall. CA-1 and CA-2 residents participate in the practicum.

Learning Objectives

To recognize indications for cricothyrotomy
To identify risks and complications of a cricothyrotomy
To establish an emergent airway through the use of a cricothyrotomy
To perform the procedure in under 2 minutes

Practice Management Seminar

Course Director: Alex DeLeon, MD

Previous graduates of the Northwestern training programs, current faculty, and Northwestern attorneys present lectures on malpractice, securities and investments, billing and insurance, contracts and financial management. Residents gain an overview of non-clinical skills necessary for a successful anesthesiology practice. The seminar occurs one Tuesday evening in the spring. CA-2 and CA-3 residents attend the seminar, but all residents are encouraged to attend.

Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia Workshop

Course Director: Antoun Nader, MD

Faculty from the Department of Anesthesiology conduct an ultrasound guided regional anesthesia workshop each spring. The goals of the workshop are to learn ultrasound principles recommended by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and European Society of Regional Anesthesia Joint Committee on Ultrasound Education. Ultrasound physics, anatomy, artifacts, and image optimization will be demonstrated and practiced on live human models. Each resident will have the opportunity to participate in this workshop during their training, usually during the CA-2 year.

Learning Objectives

To better understand the physics of ultrasound image acquisition
To better understand the underlying anatomy of both the target nerves and the structures to avoid
To understand the core competencies proposed by the Joint Committee on Ultrasound Education (ASRA/ESRA)
To understand potential imaging artifacts and how to reduce them when performing ultrasound guided regional anesthesia