Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology

The UCLA Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology group provides anesthesia for nearly 1300 cardiothoracic surgeries each year at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica Hospital, and the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration Hospital. As a tertiary and quaternary referral center, we serve a diverse patient population that includes neonates, infants, children, and adult for all types of cardiac surgery including complex congenital heart disease, acquired heart disease, heart and lung transplantation, thoracic aortic surgery, and implantation of ventricular assist devices. Approximately 30% of our cases are pediatric (half are less than a year of age), 40-50% of our patients have had cardiac surgery in the past, and 15% of our cases are transplants.

Each member of this highly skilled group is fellowship trained in cardiothoracic anesthesiology and perioperative echocardiography. Several members of the group have also received advanced training in pediatric and congenital cardiac diseases.

In addition to providing anesthesia for cardiothoracic procedures, this group also provides diagnostic echocardiography services in all the operating rooms and surgical suites, intensive care units, and interventional cardiovascular laboratories. All members of our group are board certified by the National Board of Echocardiography. The cardiothoracic anesthesiologists also provide an electrophysiology consult service for the reprogramming of pacemakers and ICDs for patients undergoing all types of surgery.