Pediatric Anesthesiology

Our Pediatric Anesthesiology team is dedicated to providing care for patients at the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, continually named among the nation's top pediatric medical centers by U.S. News & World Report. As a team, we provide anesthesia & pain management services (local, regional, general) to all children – from healthy to critically ill, premature to adolescent – while also encompassing care for the medically-complex congenital adult population. We strive to provide exceptional care throughout the entire perioperative experience, working collaboratively with all pediatric specialties within our pediatric perioperative surgical home (PPSH), which was developed from a patient-centric, team-based model of care created by leaders within the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Moreover, our Pediatric Anesthesiology team plays an integral part in UCLA's global health initiatives. Our members are intimately involved in the care of children from different parts of the world, with many of our own staff volunteering their expertise for medical missions.

Pediatric Anesthesiology Clinical Service

Education

Our goal is to provide comprehensive preparation for UCLA anesthesiology trainees to safely and compassionately care for our medically-complex pediatric and congenital adult population.

Resident physicians rotating on the pediatric anesthesiology service have the opportunity to care for a wide range of patients—healthy to critically-ill, premature to adult-age—and within a variety of different venues—outpatient, inpatient, “offsite” imaging. 

We are pleased to offer an ACGME-accredited one-year clinical fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesiology, where trainees gain outstanding clinical experience in all aspects of the specialty.

Learn more about our Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship

We also offer a non-ACGME advanced subspecialty training in Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology.

Learn more about our Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship

Research

Both our pediatric perioperative surgical home and pediatric anesthesiology research teams are developing and applying evidence-based, outcome-oriented guidelines and new protocols for our pediatric population. Our mission is to advance the understanding of pediatric health and disease and ensure faster recovery and higher quality of patient care with emphasis on optimization and safety during the entire perioperative period. 

The pediatric anesthesiology research team is comprised of a passionate group of researchers as well as a robust academic and administrative research staff. Our team of physician scientists and clinical informaticists boasts many cross-disciplinary and collaborative national research efforts. The group investigates a range of topics, including postoperative acute kidney injury and other outcomes after noncardiac surgery, the effects of upper respiratory infection on perioperative outcomes, factors associated with pediatric difficult airways and difficult mask ventilation, improvement of safety of care for children and adults with congenital cardiac disease, and novel ways of evaluating pediatric cardiac anatomy.

Leadership

Ihab A. Ayad, MD

Ihab A. Ayad, MD

Chief

Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology