Sphere Articles
Volume 77 Number 4
Focus on Advocacy
Broadly speaking, advocacy is the act of publicly supporting or recommending a cause, policy or group to influence decisions and promote change. From an NYSSA perspective, advocacy can be defined as the strategic effort to influence policymakers in support of physician-led anesthesia care and initiatives that uphold patient safety.
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PGA Scientific Exhibits and Poster Committee
Over the past three years, the Scientific Exhibits and Posters Committee has been working diligently to increase the number of in-person presentations, the quality of the program and the geographical diversity of presenters for the abstracts and posters sessions. The results can be seen in PGA79’s outstanding turnout and impressive presentations across the board.
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Committee on Professional Diversity: Building Bridges Beyond the Operating Room
In March of 2025, Dr. Uchenna O. Umeh led a two-day Healthcare Immersion Program at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in Manhattan, offering high school students hands-on experiences in anesthesiology, orthopedics, nursing, physical therapy and other specialties. This unique opportunity allowed students to engage directly with healthcare professionals who reflect their identities and aspirations, sparking curiosity and confidence in their future paths.
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NYSSA Committee on Economic Affairs
The NYSSA Committee on Economic Affairs is comprised of 41 members who represent all eight NYSSA districts and 22 distinct anesthesia departments across New York State. Our committee serves a dual mission.
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Vol 77 #4
The New York State Society of Anesthesiologists (NYSSA) is dedicated to advancing scientific progress and the clinical practice of anesthesiology through education, collaboration and advocacy. The Post Graduate Assembly (PGA) in Anesthesiology annual meeting embodies this mission, serving as a national and international forum for anesthesiology practitioners to network, engage and learn.
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Successful Neurolysis and Decompression of the Brachial Plexus for Parsonage-Turner Syndrome Precipitated by Remote Surgery
Parsonage–Turner Syndrome (PTS)—or idiopathic brachial neuritis—is a rare, immune-mediated peripheral nerve disorder characterized by acute-onset shoulder pain followed by progressive weakness and sensory changes.
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Emergency Anesthetic Management of Patients with Fontan Circulation: Systems-Based Approach and Clinical Pearls
A 36-year-old male with a past medical history of congenital double inlet left ventricle with hypoplastic right ventricle outflow tract, status post-Fontan surgery with arterial pulmonary connection at age 2, with subsequent revision to an external conduit, presents to the emergency department after a few days of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
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New-Onset Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy at Emergence from Anesthesia after Ambulatory Laparoscopic Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy: A Case of Broken Heart Syndrome
We present a case report of SICM triggered by emergence from anesthesia after minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. This case highlights the importance of perioperative vigilance even in low-risk surgical settings, and risk stratification especially among patients with known emotional or physiologic vulnerabilities.
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Vol. 77 #4
New-Onset Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy at Emergence from Anesthesia after Ambulatory Laparoscopic Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy: A Case of Broken Heart Syndrome Stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM) was first described as “Takotsubo cardiomyopathy” 35 years ago in Japan. Since the initial report, SICM has been increasingly diagnosed during the perioperative period, including in ambulatory surgery.1,2 It is associated with sympathetic nervous system […]
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Mitochondrial Genetic Susceptibility to Anesthetics in Patients with Venezuelan Heritage
On January 27th, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Society of Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) released their 2nd Consensus Statement regarding a group of unexpected deaths or severe neurological outcomes in patients of Venezuelan lineage—predominantly children— who had undergone uncomplicated general anesthetics for routine surgical procedures.
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ASA-Lifebox Resident Challenge: An Annual Fundraiser to Increase Global Access to Essential Safety Monitors
In the United States, it is mandatory to monitor all patients receiving anesthesia care for adequate oxygenation and ventilation. But in low-resource countries, patients regularly undergo surgery in operating rooms that lack pulse oximeters and capnographs. This absence of essential safety monitors leads to high rates of surgical complications—including death—for millions of patients worldwide.
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Just Culture and the U-TURN Model: Building Safer, Healthier Workplaces in Healthcare
In modern healthcare, mistakes and conflicts are inevitable. What matters is not whether they occur, but rather how organizations respond when they do. A punitive or blame-driven approach drives errors underground and leaves staff demoralized, while a learning-oriented system strengthens safety and trust. Two frameworks—Just Culture and the U-TURN conflict management model—offer complementary solutions.
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