1. Dr. Colette Seifer, who has been the Acting Medical Director for Cardiology for the past year, has now accepted that position on a permanent basis. Congratulations, Dr. Seifer!
2. Two cardiac intensivist/researchers in the CSP were recipients of the University of Manitoba, Department of Surgery Research Grant Awards for their projects. Dr. Rizwan Manji was awarded $15,000 for his project on The Immune Response in Aortic Stenosis and Dr. Rakesh Arora was granted $12,950 for his on Validation of the 4AT delirium screening tool in cardiac surgery patient population. Congratulations to both of you!
3. Five residents and trainees presented on behalf of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Manitoba, Department of Surgery Research Day:
- Kyla Barrie BSc Med: TELESCOPE-CS: ThE long tErm SuCcess Of Prolonged intEnsive care patients after Cardiac Surgery
- Dr. Ricky Muller Moran: Effect of operating room extubation on post-operative delirium after cardiac surgery
- Summer Dubriel BSc Med: Long-term outcomes of survivors undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in Manitoba between 2007 and 2016
- Dr. Weiang Yan: Long-term functional survival and re-hospitalization after surgical aortic and mitral valve replacements in a large provincial cardiac surgery centre
- Oksana Marushchak BSc Med: Analysis of short- and long-term outcomes of surgically treated left-sided infective endocarditis patients: A 10-year longitudinal follow-up study
Dr. Weiang Yan was awarded 2nd place and Oksana Marushchak was awarded 3rd place in the Plenary Podium Competition.
4. Dr. Rakesh Arora has been named co-chair of the newly created Advisory Board for the Cardiac Surgery Unit-Advanced Life Support (North America) organization. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has recently (January 22) issued an Expert Consensus Paper for the Resuscitation of Patients Who Arrest After Cardiac Surgery.
5. Farewell to Jessica Fraser, Administrative Secretary at SBH, whose last day will be February 3rd. Jessica has worked with the Cardiac Sciences program for 10 years; her efficiency, knowledge and experience will be greatly missed. Good luck in your new position at the University of Manitoba, Jessica!
6. Congratulations to Dr. Rakesh Arora on his appointment as Section Head of the Section of Cardiac Surgery (Dept. of Surgery, University of Manitoba) and the Medical Director, Cardiac Surgery (Cardiac Sciences Program, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority)! Please join us in welcoming him to this role.
7. We wish a very happy retirement to Ed Stocki, Program Support Manager for Respiratory Therapy & Perfusion at SBH. He¡¦s worked with the Cardiac Sciences Program for the past 5 years, although his tenure at SBH has been almost 40 years! His last day will be tomorrow (January 31). Please join us in congratulating him and wishing him great times!
8. A paper by Dr. David Allen and co-authors B. Ma, K. Leung, M. Graham, N. Pannu, M. Trabousli, D. Goodhart, M. Knudtson & M. James, has been accepted for publication by the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. The paper, Risk Prediction Models for Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Accompanying Cardiac Catheterization; Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, is in press. Congratulations, Dr. Allen!
9. And yet another piece of news about Dr. Rakesh Arora¡Khe has accepted the position of Section Head, Cardiac Surgery and as such will lead the cardiac surgery group in matters clinical as well as academic.
