OVERVIEW

Anesthesiology Update is organized by Circuit CE.

Schedule (Local Time): 7:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Number of Subjects: 16 Workshops

About this Conference:
This one-day conference delivers concise, practical updates in modern anesthesia practice. From emerging anesthetic agents to safety strategies and pain management innovations, each session is designed to support evidence-based care across diverse patient populations and clinical settings. Ideal for anesthesiologists, CRNAs, and perioperative teams.

Key Objectives:

Apply updated perioperative safety protocols and preoperative assessment strategies in diverse surgical patients.
Compare current anesthetic agents and analgesic techniques based on efficacy, safety, and patient context.
Adapt anesthesia practices for special populations using emerging evidence and tailored protocols.

Conference Outline:
Day 1
A focused, high-yield CME conference covering the latest updates in anesthesiology, perioperative safety, pain management, and special patient populations.

Section 1
Enhancing Perioperative Safety:
A deep dive into current strategies for reducing perioperative risk, including pre-op assessment, patient optimization, and intraoperative safety protocols. Emphasis on airway management, patient selection, and guideline updates.

7:00 AM—8:00 AM (60 Minutes)

Describe preoperative optimization strategies to reduce anesthesia-related risk.
Apply updated airway and intraoperative safety protocols for diverse patient populations.
Integrate risk stratification tools into perioperative planning and patient education.

1. Preoperative Risk Stratification and Optimization:
Covers tools like ASA classification, RCRI, and frailty scores to guide risk assessment and surgical clearance decisions.

7:00 AM (15 Minutes)

Apply validated tools to assess perioperative risk in surgical patients.
Identify modifiable risk factors and implement optimization strategies preoperatively.
Recognize high-risk features warranting delay or consultation before anesthesia.

2. Modern Approaches to Airway Assessment:
Reviews current best practices in airway evaluation, predictors of difficult intubation, and planning algorithms.

7:15 AM (15 Minutes)

Identify anatomic and physiologic predictors of difficult airway.
Use structured approaches to document and communicate airway risk.
Develop backup plans including advanced equipment or team support.

3. Intraoperative Monitoring and Patient Safety:
Explores updated monitoring techniques including capnography, neuromuscular blockade reversal, and temperature management.

7:30 AM (15 Minutes)

Describe key physiologic parameters to monitor during general anesthesia.
Implement current recommendations for neuromuscular blockade reversal.
Recognize early warning signs of intraoperative instability.

4. Preventing Never Events and Sentinel Errors:
Discusses safety culture, time-outs, checklists, and closed-loop communication to reduce errors in the OR.

7:45 AM (15 Minutes)

Apply OR checklists and protocols to reduce sentinel event risk.
Use structured team communication to promote safety culture.
Recognize systems issues contributing to intraoperative harm.

— Break
8:00 AM (15 minutes)

Section 2
Advances in Anesthetic Techniques and Agents:
Covers emerging and evolving anesthetic drugs, regional anesthesia innovations, and multimodal analgesia. Includes content on ERAS pathways, new formulations, and balancing sedation depth with safety.

8:15 AM—9:15 AM (60 Minutes)

Differentiate newer anesthetic agents based on mechanism, pharmacokinetics, and clinical use.
Select appropriate regional anesthesia techniques for varied surgical procedures.
Apply multimodal analgesia in accordance with ERAS protocols and patient needs.

5. Pharmacologic Updates in General Anesthesia:
Highlights new and evolving agents for induction and maintenance, including propofol analogs and etomidate alternatives.

8:15 AM (15 Minutes)

Describe pharmacokinetics and clinical use of newer induction agents.
Identify patient populations best suited to specific general anesthetics.
Recognize dosing nuances and safety profiles of newer medications.

6. Regional Anesthesia Innovations:
Explores novel nerve block techniques, ultrasound-guidance advances, and applications in same-day surgery.

8:30 AM (15 Minutes)

Compare landmark-based vs ultrasound-guided nerve block techniques.
List novel regional blocks with emerging evidence of effectiveness.
Apply regional anesthesia within ERAS and outpatient settings.

7. Multimodal Analgesia and Opioid-Sparing Techniques:
Reviews evidence-based analgesia combinations and their role in recovery and opioid minimization.

8:45 AM (15 Minutes)

Identify commonly used multimodal pain regimens.
Describe benefits and risks of non-opioid adjuvants.
Implement multimodal strategies tailored to surgical type and patient factors.

8. Anesthetic Depth and Monitoring Technologies:
Evaluates tools for sedation depth monitoring and prevention of awareness under anesthesia.

9:00 AM (15 Minutes)

Interpret EEG-based monitors for assessing sedation depth.
Describe factors that increase risk for intraoperative awareness.
Apply monitoring strategies to enhance patient safety.

— Break
9:15 AM (15 minutes)

Section 3
Postoperative Complications and Pain Management:
Explores high-yield topics in managing postoperative pain, nausea, delirium, and complications like hypoxia or opioid-related adverse events. Highlights real-world interventions and care transitions.

9:30 AM—10:30 AM (60 Minutes)

Identify best practices for managing postoperative pain and nausea in various patient types.
Recognize early warning signs of post-anesthesia complications, including delirium and respiratory compromise.
Incorporate risk-reduction strategies to improve postoperative outcomes and patient safety.

9. Best Practices for Postoperative Pain Control:
Covers evidence-based strategies for managing acute postoperative pain using both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches.

9:30 AM (15 Minutes)

Compare common postoperative analgesic regimens for different procedures.
Integrate non-opioid and non-drug techniques into pain management plans.
Identify patient-specific factors influencing postoperative pain control.

10. Managing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV):
Reviews risk stratification tools and multimodal antiemetic protocols for prevention and treatment of PONV.

9:45 AM (15 Minutes)

Use validated risk scores to identify patients at high risk for PONV.
Select appropriate prophylactic and rescue antiemetics.
Adjust PONV protocols based on surgical and patient characteristics.

11. Delirium and Cognitive Dysfunction After Anesthesia:
Focuses on early detection and prevention strategies for postoperative delirium, especially in older adults.

10:00 AM (15 Minutes)

Recognize common signs and risk factors for postoperative delirium.
Implement screening and mitigation strategies in high-risk patients.
Differentiate between delirium, dementia, and emergence agitation.

12. Monitoring for Respiratory and Cardiovascular Complications:
Discusses risk factors and early signs of hypoventilation, hypoxia, and hemodynamic instability in the PACU.

10:15 AM (15 Minutes)

Identify high-risk patients for respiratory and hemodynamic complications postoperatively.
Describe PACU monitoring protocols to detect early decompensation.
Apply evidence-based interventions for common postoperative emergencies.

— Break
10:30 AM (15 minutes)

Section 4
Anesthesia in Special Populations:
Focuses on the nuances of providing anesthesia in vulnerable groups, including pediatrics, geriatrics, pregnant patients, and those with obesity or OSA. Content includes physiologic considerations and protocol adaptations.

10:45 AM—11:45 AM (60 Minutes)

Adapt anesthetic plans for vulnerable populations such as pediatrics, geriatrics, and obstetric patients.
Recognize physiology-altering comorbidities that impact anesthetic decision-making.
Apply updated clinical guidance for managing OSA and obesity in anesthesia delivery.

13. Anesthesia Considerations in Pediatric Patients:
Covers physiologic differences, fasting guidelines, and drug selection considerations in children.

10:45 AM (15 Minutes)

Describe unique physiologic features affecting pediatric anesthesia.
Apply updated fasting guidelines and dosing principles for children.
Recognize common complications and age-based monitoring strategies.

14. Geriatric Anesthesia and Frailty Assessment:
Addresses anesthesia risk in older adults, with emphasis on frailty, polypharmacy, and cognitive outcomes.

11:00 AM (15 Minutes)

Assess perioperative risk using frailty indices and geriatric screening tools.
Modify anesthetic plans to reduce cognitive and physiologic stress in older adults.
Implement strategies to prevent delirium and adverse drug effects.

15. Anesthesia in Pregnancy: Maternal and Fetal Considerations:
Outlines safety protocols, timing considerations, and physiologic adaptations in obstetric anesthesia.

11:15 AM (15 Minutes)

Recognize physiologic changes of pregnancy relevant to anesthesia.
Select appropriate anesthetic techniques for common obstetric procedures.
Apply safety measures to protect fetal well-being during anesthesia.

16. Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the OR:
Explores airway, dosing, and monitoring adaptations needed for obese patients and those with OSA.

11:30 AM (15 Minutes)

Assess airway and respiratory risks in patients with obesity or OSA.
Adjust anesthetic dosing and equipment for patients with altered physiology.
Monitor postoperative risk and recovery in patients with sleep-disordered breathing.

— End of Day:
Break for the Day
11:45 AM