Pediatric Anesthesiology at the Children's Hospital and
the University of Colorado School of Medicine

The Children’s Hospital Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship is one of first continuously ACGME-accredited fellowship programs in the country and accepts 6 applicants per year. Rita Agarwal, MD is the Fellowship Director and Scott Markowitz, MD is the Assistant Fellowship Director. The University of Colorado Anesthesiology Residency is the affiliated core program. Fellows are required to spend one month of the twelve month program in the PICU and one month on the Acute and Chronic Pain Service rotation. Regional anesthesia experience is a well regarded and growing aspect of our program. Electives are available in Cardiology, NICU, PICU, Anesthesia in Remote Sites and Chronic Pain. One hallmark of the program is its flexibility and adaptability. The faculty is widely recognized for its clinical expertise and all members are very enthusiastic about teaching. Jeffrey Galinkin, MD is the Director of Research. Fellows may engage in research projects of their own design or assist with any number of ongoing projects in the department. Fellows are encouraged to present posters, abstracts, and papers at the annual meetings of SPA/AAP and the ASA. Graduates of the Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship Program enter both academic and private practices across the country. For more information please contact Rita Agarwal, MD. You may also contact the Fellowship Coordinator, Wendy Vining to request an application.

History and Affiliations

The Children's Hospital of Denver was established in 1910, succeeding the old tent hospital that was erected in 1897 in City Park. Paul Hackett, MD was the first Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at TCH. Charles Lockhart, MD succeeded Dr. Hackett as Chair in 1970 and served in that capacity for over 20 years. Desmond Henry, MD was named Chair in 1997 and served until 2007. The Children’s Hospital now has many unique programs including the Spine Center, the Center for Gait and Movement Analysis, the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute, and the Children’s Heart Institute.
The pediatric anesthesiology faculty at TCH are members of the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology.

The New Children's Hospital

Opened September 2007
1.44 million square feet on a 48 acre campus, with abundant walkways and beautiful landscaping, including gardens and outdoor areas for patients and their families.
From the use of color, to the Colorado landscape reflected throughout the new hospital, to the innovative, sound-absorbing technology, the entire hospital was designed to promote a healing atmosphere.
Panoramic views, large single occupancy rooms, abundant family lounges with kitchenettes and laundry facilities.
Teen lounge with surround-sound theater.
Completely integrated electronic medical record.
Sound absorbing technology and other measures to ensure quiet and calm.
Outdoor play areas and in room video-on demand.
Part of the $4.3 billion Fitzsimons medical redevelopment and Colorado Bioscience Park

Demographics

Children’s has consistently been ranked among the Top 10 Children’s Hospitals in US World and News Report (#4 this year), as well as in Child magazine. Approximately 20,000 anesthetics are administered annually for:

Cardiovascular surgery -- 450 cases per year
Complex neurosurgery --300 cases per year, including the separation of conjoined twins in 2001)
Major orthopedic surgery, including over 300 major spine fusions and scoliosis procedures (VEPTR) per year
Heart, liver, kidney and bone marrow transplants
Major general pediatric surgery with an emphasis on laparoscopic and thoracoscopic procedures.
Simple and complex ENT procedures including tracheal reconstructions

Anesthesia for remote sites include: CT/MRI, interventional radiology, cardiac catheterizations, auditory brainstem responses, oncology, and the Acute and Chronic Pain Services.
In addition, TCH sends pediatric specialists to 1,200 outreach clinics. More than 400 are held outside the Denver metro area, and bring essential care to rural or small towns in three states.

Faculty

Randall M. Clark, MD, FAAP	Stanley L. Loftness, MD, FAAP
Interim Chair	Rebecca Lowery, MD
Heidi Aasheim, MD	Thomas A. Majcher, DO
Rita Agarwal, MD, FAAP	Director of Clinical Services
Fellowship Director	Scott Markowitz, MD
Michael Bertz, DDS	Assistant Fellowship Director
Rafael Campanini, MD	E. Kay McDivitt, MD
Morris Dressler, MD	Glenn Merritt, MD
Mary Fox-Dubus, MD	John Morrison, MD (emeritus)
Debra Faulk, MD	David M. Polaner, MD, FAAP
Robert Friesen, MD	Chief, Acute Pain Service
Vice Chair and Director, Pediatric	Steve Santangelo, MD
Cardiac Anesthesiology	Scott Stenquist, MD
K. Peter Fritz, MD	Gee Mei Tan, MD
Peter Fuhr, MD	Mark Twite, MB, BChir
Jeffrey Galinkin, MD	Brett Wallen, DMD
Director of Research	Jennifer Wallen, DMD
Geoffrey A. Lane, MB, FRCA	Kim Weigers, MD
Charles H. Lockhart, MD (emeritus)	Lisa Wise-Faberowski, MD

Research

Cardiovascular:

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonatal congenital heart disease patients: use of serial proton magnetic spectroscopy (IARS grant PI: Faberowski)
Aprotinin for open-heart surgery in neonates (Collaboration study with Stanford)
Exhaled nitric oxide is a marker of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

Pharmacology:

Does total intravenous anesthesia with propofol for greater than 4 hours produce occult biochemical evidence of the propofol infusion syndrome?
Independent and collaborative pharmacokinetic studies examining multiple anesthetic and pain drugs.
State-of-the-art mass spectrometry facility for drug analysis is based in the parent department.

Outcomes Research:

Multicenter study of use and complications in pediatric regional anesthesia.
The effect of anesthetics on the developing brain. Is it a function of age? (FAER grant PI: Faberowski)
BIS-guided sedation in the CICU
National Scientist Development Grant: The effect of oxygen and anesthesia on the developing cyanotic rat brain (AHA grant PI: Faberowski)
Multi-center study on the incidence of intra-operative awareness and recall in the pediatric population undergoing general anesthesia: CARE study. (ASPECT funded)