Credentials:

• MD, 1977, University of Toronto
• FRCPC, 1982, University of Toronto
• M.Sc., 1996, Clinical Epidemiology, McMaster University

Current Appointments:

• Division head, obstetrical anesthesia, women and babies program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Affiliate scientist, evaluative clinical sciences - Women and Babies Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Active staff, department of anesthesia, Women's College Hospital
• Professor, anesthesia, obstetrics and gynecology, University of Toronto
• Member, editorial board, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
• Member, Cochrane Anesthesia Research Group (CARG)

Academic and Clinical Interests:

• Obstetrical anesthesia
• Pain management
• Ambulatory anesthesia
• Clinical trials
• Patient safety

Invited Lectures and Visiting Professorships:

2010

• Obstetrical Anesthesia.  Critical Care in Obstetrics.  Vaughan Estates.  Toronto Canada Sept 20.
• The “less than perfect” epidural.  Euroanaesthesia 2010 June 15 Helsinki Finland.

2009

• Epidural analgesia to epidural anesthesia for cesarean section:  Practical Considerations. 4th Annual Obstetric Anesthesia Day.  Women’s College Hospital, Nov 17, Toronto.
• The use of ultrasound for Neuraxial blocks in obstetrics.  Grand Rounds, Department of obstetrics and Gynecology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.  Oct 16.  Toronto, Canada.
• Labour analgesia—Analgesia and labour outcome, an EBM approach.  Euroanesthesia June 7, Milan Italy. 
• Conversion of epidural analgesia for labor to anesthesia for cesarean section:  practical considerations.  35th Annual Virginia Apgar Seminar.  March 20.  The Hilton Hotel at Disney world Village.  Florida.
• The Morbidly Obese Parturient. .  35th Annual Virginia Apgar Seminar.  March 20.  The Hilton Hotel at Disney world Village.  Florida.
• The Epidural Test Dose. 35th Annual Virginia Apgar Seminar. March 22.  The Hilton Hotel at Disney world Village.  Florida.

2008

• Troublesome epidural?  More trouble than you think!  3rd annual Obstetric Anesthesia Day.  November 28.  Women’s College Hospital.
• Session Chair—Modern Labour Analgesia.  21st  International Congress of the Israel Society of Anesthesiologists.  Dan Panorama Hotel.  Tel Aviv Israel.  Sept 16
• Pro-Con Debate.  The time has come to abandon the epidural test dose for labor.  Pro.      21st  International Congress of the Israel Society of Anesthesiologists.  Dan Panorama Hotel.  Tel Aviv Israel.  Sept 16
• Workshop:  Ultrasound for lumbar neuraxial blocks.  21st  International Congress of the Israel Society of Anesthesiologists.  Dan Panorama Hotel.  Tel Aviv Israel.  Sept 17.   
• Pro-Con Debate:  Regional Anesthesia is safer than general anesthesia for cesarean section—Con. Canadian Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting.  World Trade Convention Centre.  Halifax. Nova Scotia.   June 16

Committees:

• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Blood Bank Committee
• University of Toronto, Postgraduate Education Research Committee, department of anesthesia

Honours and Awards:

• 2003–2004, Jacob and Lena Joels Memorial Foundation, Visiting Professor in the Life Science and Medical Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
• 2008 (January), Editorial Board, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia

Administrative Assistant: Doris Cheung
Phone: 416-480-6100 x 87757
Fax: 416-480-5614
Email: doris.cheung@sunnybrook.ca

Education:

• MD, 1977, University of Toronto, Canada
• FRCP, 1982, Anesthesia, University of Toronto, Canada
• M.Sc., 1996, Clinical Epidemiology, McMaster University, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Affiliate scientist, clinical epidemiology - women and babies program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Staff anesthesiologist, anesthesia, Women's College Hospital
• Division head, obstetrical anesthesia, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Professor of anesthesia, obstetrics and gynecology, University of Toronto
• Member, Cochrane Anesthesia Research Group (CARG)

Research Foci:

• Ultrasound-guided neuraxial blocks
• Fluid preload vs. coload for spinal anesthesia for caesarean section
• The effect of needle size on postdural puncture headache
• Clinician attitudes concerning lumbar tattoos and lumbar puncture

Research Summary:

Dr. Halpern's recent research studies focus on the following:

• needle design and postdural puncture headache related to epidural analgesia (with Dr. P. Angle);
• use of ultrasound to determine depth of the epidural space in the lying and sitting position;
• use of ultrasound to determine level of lumbar puncture;
• use of ultrasound in the morbidly obese parturient to locate the epidural space;
• incidence of general anesthesia for caesarean section after labour epidural; and
• post-caesarean section analgesia.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Halpern SH, Banerjee A, Stocche R, Glanc P.  The use of Ultrasound for lumbar spinous process identification:  A pilot study.  Can J Anaesth. 2010 Sep;57(9):817-22
2. Beilin J, Halpern SH.  Ropivacaine vs Bupivacaine for labor analgesia:  A focused review.  Anesth Analg. 2010:111;482-7.
3. Angle P, Kurtz Landy C, Charles C, Yee J, Watson J, Kung R, Kronberg J, Halpern S, et al. Phase 1 development of an index to measure the quality of neuraxial analgesia:  exploring the perspectives if childbearing women. Can J Anesth 2010;57:468-78
4. Ioscovich A, Barth D, Samueloff A, Grisaru-Granovsky S, Halpern S.  Anesthetic management of a patient with cleidocranial dysplasia undergoing various obstetric procedures.  Int J Obstet Anesth 2010;19:106-8.
5. Banerjee A, Stocchee R, Angle P, Halpern SH.  Preload or coload for spinal anesthesia for elective cesarean section:  A meta-analysis.  Can J Anesth 2010:57;24-31.
6. Ioscovich A, Mirochnitchenko E, Halpern S. Samueloff A, Grisaru-Granovsky S, Gozal Y, Einav S.  Perioperative anaesthetic management of high-order repeat caesaren section:  audit of practice in a university-affiliated medical  centre.  IJOA 2009;18:314-9.
7. Ioscovich A, Goldsmidt E, Fadeev A, Halpern SH.  Peripartum anesthetic management of patients with aortic stenosis:  a cohort study.  IJOA 2009; 18:379-86
8. Stremler R, Halpern S, Weston J, Yee J, Hodnett E.  Hands-and-Knees Positioning During Labor With Epidural Analgesia JOGNN 2009;38:391-398.
9. Balki M, Lee Y, Halpern S Carvalho JC.  Ultrasound imaging of the lumbar spine in the transverse plane: correlation between estimated and actual depth to the epidural space in obese parturients.  Anesth Analg 2009:108;1876-81
10. Halpern SH, Carvalho B.  Patient-Controlled epidural analgesia in labor.  Anesth Analg 2009;108: 921-928
11. Halpern SH*, Soliman A,  Yee J,  Angle P,  Ioscovich A. Conversion of epidural labour analgesia to anaesthesia for caesarean section:  A prospective study of the incidence and determinants of failure.  BJA:2009; 102: 240-243  
12. Ioscovich A, Gislasson R, Fadev A, Grisaru-Granovsky S, Halpern S.  Peripartum anesthetic management of patients with Takayasu’s Arteritis:  cases series and review.  IJOA 2008;17:358-64.

Related Links:

• Obstetrical Anesthesia Research Unit
• U of T profile - department of anesthesia