CAS Samba ambulatory anesthesia collaborative rounds series
The Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society is excited to announce the return of its popular education program, developed in collaboration between the CAS Ambulatory Section and the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia. This series of educational rounds provides professionals in ambulatory anesthesia with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills through shared expertise and resources.
round archive
The CAS SAMBA Ambulatory Anesthesia Collaborative Rounds Series is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Each round will be 1 hour.
Click on each event below for details on the upcoming rounds. All events are listed chronologically.
“Bad Outcomes in Strange Times” : Mitochondrial DNA Mutation In Specific Patient Population
March 25, 2026
7 pm ET
Register
Approximately 36 healthy patients with Venezuelan ancestry have suffered severe neurologic complications, including stroke and death, after routine anesthesia. Cases are most common in South America, with 8 reported in Europe and 6 in the United States. Anesthesiologists are now advised to screen for Venezuelan maternal heritage and consider alternative anesthetic plans for at-risk individuals. Join our expert panel to learn how to prepare when caring for these patients.
Moderator: Dr. Carlos Ibarra Moreno
Dr. Ibarra Moreno graduated from medical school in 1998 from the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas. He began working in malignant hyperthermia research as an aspiring PhD in 2002 under the mentorship of the late Prof. Hirosato Kikuchi at the Toho University Department of Anesthesiology (Tokyo, Japan). Dr. Ibarra delved into skeletal muscle physiology, becoming an expert in the 'skinned fibres' model— a microscopic, single muscle cell-based experimental model for assessing the function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This model is used in Japan to diagnose the susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia. Since then, his research has been focused on finding a non-invasive method to diagnose malignant hyperthermia. He performed the first mutation screening of the entire open reading frame of the RYR1 gene in a large cohort of unrelated Japanese families with malignant hyperthermia susceptibility, achieving a close estimation of its prevalence based on the occurrence of compound heterozygosity. Dr. Ibarra interrupted his research from 2006 to 2010 to enter consecrated life in the Society of Jesus. He ultimately returned to anesthesia for residency training at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem until 2016. Thereafter, he pursued fellowships in Cardiovascular Anesthesia and Malignant Hyperthermia at the Toronto General Hospital, where he remains a staff anesthesiologist, consultant, and independent researcher.
Presenter: Dr. Claudia Bruguera Torres
Dr. Claudia Bruguera Torres is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She received her medical degree from the Universidad Central de Venezuela, completed an anesthesiology residency at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and a pediatric anesthesiology fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s. Her interests focus on quality improvement and safety, and she currently leads institutional guideline development addressing anesthesia-related neurotoxicity risk and mitigation strategies in Venezuelan children. Her work has informed practice and served as a reference for institutions across the United States
Presenter: Dr. Luis Rodriguez
Luis I. Rodriguez, MD FASA is a Pediatric Anesthesiologists that currently works at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, FL. He obtained his Medical Degree at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Luis Razetti School of Medicine. Moving to the US and completed anesthesia residency and Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Served as an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology at the University of Miami until 2023. His research interests include electronic medical records data analysis to improve patient safety and physician quality metrics, awareness, and OR efficiency. He currently serves in the Executive Board of the Florida Society of Anesthesiologists and serves as Florida Delegate for the ASA House of Delegates. Dr. Rodriguez serves as a Faculty Mentor for medical students, residents, and fellows. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Melissa and children Ignacio and Alejandro, enjoying outdoor activities.
Learning Objectives:
After attending this round, the participants will be able to:
- Explain the genetic basis of mitochondrial-associated hypersensitivity to volatile anesthetics.
- Describe the screening process and the role of genetic testing for identifying patients at risk for mitochondrial- associated hypersensitivity to anesthetics.
- Formulate an anesthetic plan for a patient who screens positive for mitochondrial-associated hypersensitivity to anesthetics.
- Discuss strategies for intraoperative monitoring and perioperative clinical decision-making of patients who screen positive for mitochondrial-associated hypersensitivity to anesthetics.
Thank you to our Scientific Planning Committee!
Dr Mandeep Singh – CAS Ambulatory Section Chair, Research Advisory Committee member, Physician Wellness Committee member
Dr Natalie Clavel – CAS Ambulatory Section Vice-Chair
Dr Jaimie Hyman – SAMBA Board of Directors Member, Education Committee Chair, Meetings Committee member
Dr Chhaya Patel – SAMBA Education Committee Vice-Chair, Pediatric Anesthesia Committee Vice-Chair, Scientific Papers Committee member