Ambulatory Anesthesia Division

The state-of-the-art 30,000 sq ft. Ambulatory Surgery Center opened in 2001. It consists of eight well-equipped operating rooms, each capable of supporting any type of ambulatory surgery. Approximately 8500 cases were performed at the Ambulatory Surgery Center last year. The Ambulatory Center has been in the top 3% ambulatory centers in its class throughout the entire USA for patient satisfaction. This achievement has been consistent for over the years.

Most surgical specialties are represented at the center. We welcome surgeons from the university as well as from the surrounding communities. We perform some quite complex and lengthy procedures on an out-patient basis. We have a very strong group of anesthesiologists who have an particular interest in regional anesthesia. The addition of regional blocks has promoted our growth into quite sophisticated orthopedic surgical procedures. Patients enjoy the privacy of their own pre-operative waiting rooms and families are permitted to be together in the recovery room.

The Center is particularly well suited for pediatric surgery with a dedicated pre-operative play area and a specialized recovery area for children. There is barely a day here without lots of children accompanied by their anxious parents and grandparents running around the facility.

Many pain management procedures are also performed at the center. These vary from very complicated nerve stimulation trials, radiofrequency nerve ablations, ultrasound guided nerve blocks, to the usual therapies for lower back and neck pain. This service is supported by our own pain physicians, physiatrists, community pain physicians and a psychiatrist.

We have a lithotripsy service where renal stones are treated very successfully.

The combination of surgeons from the university with those from the surrounding community creates an environment where the best of university medical practice is combined with a private practice flavor.

CA-3. Senior anesthesia residents rotate through the Center; this prepares them for a taste of the “real-world.” Cases include an abundance of pediatric cases and ultrasound guided regional anesthesia, and an introduction to monitored sedation. The regional anesthesia division is particularly active and has significantly improved the quality of our surgical management.

CA-2 residents rotate for four weeks for their introduction to pediatric anesthesia. This is a very intensively supervised rotation where the resident is exposed one-on-one to a variety of anesthesiologists with pediatric anesthesia expertise.

We provide exposure to Office based surgery. CA-3 residents rotate with an anesthesiologist where they are exposed to the isolated lonely environment of an office setting. This office is fully certified and offers the highest possible safety standards. This should prepare the residents to set the highest standards for themselves when they eventually are exposed to this growing arena.