Professor

Stephen Halpern

Anesthesia

MD, MSc, FRCPC

(416) 480-6100 - ext: 87757

Location

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Address

2075 Bayview Avenue, Room M3200, Toronto, Ontario Canada M4N 3M5

Research Interests

obstetrical anesthesia, regional anesthesia

Clinical Interests

obstetrical anesthesia, perioperative patient management

Accepting

contact faculty member for more information

Research Synopsis

Currently, Dr. Halpern’s primary research interest is in systematic review and meta-analysis as they pertain to anesthesia. These include individual meta-analyses in obstetrical and regional anesthesia as well as research into the “quality” of existing meta-analyses. Several of the meta-analyses have important clinical implications. Using these techniques, it was possible to show that epidural analgesia for labour does not increase the risk of cesarean section, that epidural analgesia provides better pain relief if a patient-controlled component is added to a continuous infusion, and that non-cutting spinal needles can reduce the incidence of dural puncture headache by a clinically significant amount.

Dr. Halpern has collected a number of systematic reviews pertaining to obstetrical anesthesia in a book on the topic.

Recent Publications

Abdullah F, Brull R, Halpern SH. Will the real benefits of single-shot interscalene block please stand up? A systematic review and meta-analysis Anesth Analg. 2015;120:1114-29 DOI: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000000688 (accompanied by and editorial).
Ioscovich A, Mirochnitchenko E, Halpern SH, Smueloff A,Grisaru-Granovsky S, Gozal Y, Einav S. Anesthetic considerations for high order cesarean sections: a prospective cohort study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2014;289:533-40 DOI 10.1007/s00404-013-3008-4.
Abdullah FW, Laffey JG, Halpern SH, Brull R. Duration of analgesic effectiveness after the posterior and lateral transversus abdominis plane block techniques for transverse lower abdominal incisions: a meta-analysis. BJA 2013:111;721-35.(editors choice) doi: 10.1093/bja/aet214
Sultan P, Murphy C, Halpern S, Carvalho B. The effect of low concentrations versus high concentrations of local anesthetics for labour analgesia on obstetric and anesthetic outcomes: a meta-analysis. Can J Anesth 2013:60;840-54.
Hodnett ED, Stremler R, Halpern S, Weston J, Windrim R. Repeated Hands-and-Knees Positioning During Labour: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. PeerJ 1:e25; DOI 10.7717/peerj.25 2013.
Morrison AP, Hunter JM, Halpern SH, A Banerjee. Effect of intrathecal magnesium in the presence or absence of local anaesthetic with and without lipophilic opioids: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJA. 2013;110:702-12.
Abdallah FH, Halpern SH, Margarido DB. Transversus abdominus plane block for postoperative analgesia after Caesarean delivery performed under spinal anesthesia. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Br. J. Anesth 2012;109:679-87.
Hui D, Morrison LJ, Windrim R, Lausman AY, Lapinsky SE, Halpern SH, et al. The American heart association 2010 guidelines for the management of cardiac arrest in pregnancy: Consensus recommendations on implementation strategies. J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2011;33:858-63.
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
Ginosar Y, Reynolds F, Halpern SH, Weiner C. Anesthesia and the Fetus. John Wylie Publishing. 2013.

Appointments

Editorial Board, International Journal of Obstetrical Anesthesia

Courses

Course Number: Obstetrical Anesthesia
Course Name: PGY2 core lectures
Course Number: Journal Club
Course Name: PGY2-4
Course Number: Local Anesthesia
Course Name: PGY1
Course Number: Pharmacologic Pain Relief
Course Name: Undergraduate Midwifery Programme, Ryerson University