Neuro Anesthesia

Neuro Anesthesia

Neurosurgical care is provided in Calgary at Foothills Medical Centre (FMC), the Level 1 Trauma Centre for a diverse and growing population of 2.5 million from southern Alberta, southeastern British Columbia, and southern Saskatchewan.

The Section of Neuroanesthesia is responsible for academic leadership and subspecialty anesthesia services for the Calgary Corridor and the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine Anesthesiology Residency Program. Six fellowship-trained neuroanesthesiologists support the FMC Section of Anesthesia in provision of anesthesia for over 700 elective and emergent intracranial surgeries per year, including procedures in our 3T MRI operating theatre. Additionally, a subsection of dedicated anesthesiologists specializes in managing high-risk spine surgery including deformity correction, oncology cases, and major reconstruction.

Academically, the Section coordinates and delivers junior and senior clinical rotations in neuroanesthesia, alongside a core lecture series for anesthesiology residents. The Section hosts a comprehensive,12-month Neuroanesthesia Fellowship designed to foster clinical mastery of anesthesia in neurosurgical and neurointerventional environments, with exposure to neurocritical care and neuromonitoring modules. Driven by a commitment to improving patient outcomes, our faculty collaborates on research initiatives and quality assurance projects with neurosurgeons, spine surgeons, and interventional radiologists.

 

Program Highlights:

  • · Canada’s Largest Spine Program: A comprehensive spine surgery program ranging from complex deformity correction to minimally invasive endoscopic procedures (Learn more).
  • · World-Class Interventional Radiology: An internationally recognized interventional neuroradiology program.
  • · Dedicated Specialized Care: Access to a specialized neurocritical care unit and dedicated neurophysiology team.
  • · Advanced Intraoperative Imaging: State-of-the-art infrastructure including a Hybrid OR with intraoperative 3T MRI capabilities.

 

Selected Publications:

  • · Toledano N, Legacy N, Wijeysundera DN, Ku NW, Haase KR, Pitters E, Bennie F, Stephens A, Lorello GR, Kuluski K, McIsaac DI, Chesney TR, Xu K, Siddiqui N,
  • Ladha KS, Mazer CD, Crampton N, McCluskey SA, Parotto M, Del Giudice L, Jerath A, van Vlymen J, MacDonell SY, Davis M, Gregory AJ, Jacobsohn E, MacDonald DB, McGilton KS, Hladkowicz E, Alibhai SMH, Puts M. Recovery Experiences of Older Adults and Their Caregivers After Major Elective Noncardiac Surgery. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Mar 2;9(3):e260692. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.0692. PMID: 41823967; PMCID: PMC12988445.
  • · Wijeysundera DN, Alibhai SMH, Puts MTE, Xu K, Daza JF, Diep C, Ladha KS, Chesney TR, Mazer CD, Wei AC, Ehtesham S, Hladkowicz E, Pazmino-Canizares J, Choi S, Davis M, Dillane D, Duceppe E, Jacobsohn E, Lorello GR, MacDonald DB, MacDonell SY, Parotto M, Serrano PE, van Vlymen JM, McIsaac DI; FIT After Surgery Investigators. Significant new disability after major non-cardiac surgery in older adults aged 65 years and older in Canada: a multicentre prospective cohort study. Lancet Healthy Longev. 2025 Nov;6(11):100789. doi: 10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100789. Epub 2025 Nov 26. PMID: 41317744.
  • · Phillips AA, Gandhi AP, Hankov N, Hernandez-Charpak SD, Rimok J, Incognito AV, Nijland AEJ, D'Ercole M, Watrin A, Berney M, Damianaki A, Dumont G, Macellari N, De Herde L, Intering N, Smith D, Miller R, Smith MN, Lee J, Baaklini E, Ledoux JB, Ordonnez JG, Newton T, Meliadò EF, Duguet L, Jacquet C, Bole-Feysot L, Rieger M, Gelenitis K, Dumeny Y, Caban M, Ganty D, Paoles E, Baumgartner T; Clinical Study Team; Onward Team; Harte C, Sasportes CD, Romo P, Vouga T, Fasola J, Ravier J, Gautier M, Merlos F, Buschman R, Milekovic T, Rowald A, Mandija S, van den Berg CAT, Kuster N, Neufeld E, Pralong E, Hirt L, Carda S, Becce F, Aleton E, Rogan K, Schoettker P, Wuerzner G, Langerak N, Keijsers NLW, Kwon BK, Guest JD, Ross E, Murphy J, Kurt E, Casha S, Girgis F, van Nes I, Larkin-Kaiser KA, Demesmaeker R, Asboth L, Squair JW, Bloch J, Courtine G. An implantable system to restore hemodynamic stability after spinal cord injury. Nat Med. 2025 Sep;31(9):2946-2957. doi: 10.1038/s41591-025-03614-w. Epub 2025 Sep 17. PMID: 40962906; PMCID: PMC12443590.
  • · Davis M. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Neuroanesthesia Education. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol. 2021 Apr 1;33(2):97-98. doi: 10.1097/ANA.0000000000000759. PMID: 33660697.