Franklin B. Chiao MD

Franklin Chiao, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology, is one of the leaders in adapting recent innovations in adult regional anesthesia for use in pediatric cases. In a recent article for the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) newsletter, Dr. Chiao outlined the fundamentals for the caudal ultrasound – the use of ultrasound to support the administration of a caudal nerve block, a common pediatric procedure.

Dr. Chiao’s article describes the rationale and basics of the caudal ultrasound procedure. Administering a caudal block using the older palpation method resulted in a failure rate of 10-20%. By using ultrasound to guide them in administering a caudal block, anesthesiologists can significantly lower that failure rate. Dr. Chiao notes that this procedure is being used with increasing frequency at Weill Cornell, improving the quality of care for our pediatric patients.