Taking Care of Patients' Anesthetic and Critical Care Needs

 

Dr. Thomas W. Feeley uses sophisticated support systems to ensure the best anesthetic outcomes for cancer patients.

The growth of anesthesiology and critical care as major components of cancer treatment at M. D. Anderson led to the creation of the Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care in spring 1997.

 

With services previously functioning within the Divisions of Medicine and Surgery, the new division brings together anesthesia, respiratory care, surgical and medical intensive care support.

 

"Since critical care medicine is an extension of operating room anesthesia, it is only natural that these services join together as a single entity," says Dr. Thomas W. Feeley, head of the division.

 

When the Albert B. and Margaret M. Alkek Hospital opens later this year, he says, there will be one large intensive care unit with 42 critical care beds designated to treat patients who require life support.

 

"Our goal is to develop a single, multidisciplinary critical care unit so that all intensive care services are provided by the same group of faculty, nurses and respiratory therapists in one place," says Dr. Feeley, who holds the Charles M. McBride Professorship in Surgical Oncology. "As more and more cancer care is delivered on an outpatient basis, those who require hospitalization need well-trained staff to care for them."

 

With the aid of sophisticated monitoring devices, improved anesthetic agents and more than 100 health professionals specializing in anesthesiology, critical care, respiratory therapy and pain management, patients "can be sure they are in good hands," Dr. Feeley says.

 

Patients also can be certain they will receive the most appropriate and highly individualized care they need, he adds. Currently, the division offers an array of services for adult and pediatric patients, including:

 

· Preoperative evaluation.

 

· Preparation of patients for anesthesia and surgery.

 

· Anesthetic care and monitoring of patients during the intraoperative period.

· Care and management of patients through the immediate postoperative period.

 

· Medical and surgical critical care consultation.

 

· Specialized treatment of cancer pain through the Acute and Chronic Pain Services.

 

· Sedation services for painful procedures.

 

According to Dr. Feeley, the division is one of the busiest at M. D. Anderson. In fiscal year 1996-97, there were 2,425 patient admissions to the Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Units, 8,846 operating room patient cases and 2,504 pain management service requests.

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