Neuroanesthesia

As one of the few freestanding Neurosurgical Hospitals dedicated to the advancement Neurosurgery, Neurocritical Care, Neurology, Neuroradiology, Neuroanesthesia, Neuromonitoring and the Neurosciences, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Jefferson and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital offers an extensive and varied training opportunity. Extensive experiences in acute ischemic strokes, neuroendovascular, cerebrovascular, tumor, spine, complex skull base procedures, awake craniotomies, functional Neurosurgery, neuroradiology, Neurocritical care and research makes it an excellent opportunity to excel in neurosurgical anesthesia.

Thomas Jefferson Hospital and the Farber Institute for Neurosciences provides neurosurgical care to approximately 5000 patients each year. Jefferson is a tertiary neurosurgical and comprehensive stroke center. Jefferson is a level 1 trauma center and regional model spinal cord injury center in Delaware valley.

Our fellows will have extensive exposure to preoperative, intraoperative and post-operative management of very complex neurosurgical, neurovascular and spine patients. This involves multidisciplinary training and stronger understanding of neurosurgical operating room, neuroradiology, neuro monitoring, neuro intensive care and neuro sonography. Thereafter, fellows assume a primarily supervisory role, instructing and guiding residents on the neuro Anesthesia service.

During fellowship training the fellow will develop confidence in the anesthetic management of the healthy and complicated neurosurgical, neurovascular and spine patients.

*Please note that we currently only accept fellowship applicants who have completed an ACGME accredited residency.

Our Neuro Anesthesia group is actively involved in many clinical research projects. Current areas of active interest include: Safety efficacy of antispasmodic cocktails in Trans radial approach, ipsilateral EEG changes with sedation in acute stroke thrombectomies, COVID in neuro surgical patients, the Fellow is expected to develop research projects and get published. Our fellow will be able to get help from dedicated researchers and statisticians.

Neuroanesthesia Faculty

Victor Romo, MD
Program Director
Associate Professor, Departments of Anesthesiology and Neurology

Chitra Sivasankar, MD
Assistant Program Director
Assistant Professor, Departments of Anesthesia and Neurology

Michael Mahla, MD
Professor

Dietrich Gravenstein, MD
Professor, Vice Chair, Department of Anesthesiology

David Wyler, MD
Assistant Professor
Enterprise Director, Neurocritical Care Services and Department of Anesthesiology

Coleen Vernick, DO
Assistant Professor
Division Director, Neuroanesthesia

Mary Herman, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Director, Medical Student Education, Department of Anesthesiology