Research Opportunities

Retrospective Cohort Studies

IAA is affiliated with multiple research and development programs, allowing team members to work on cutting edge anesthesia research. Contact us to learn more. 



Does The Use of Propofol Sedation For Ventilated Septic Patient In The ICU Influence Recovery From Infection And Mortality Rates?

(PI) Dhamodaran Palaniappan, MD / IRB #: E-HHC-2023-0008

A single-center, retrospective cohort study at Hartford Hospital ICU. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence propofol has on outcomes for ICU patients with sepsis. The hypothesis is that ICU patients who received propofol for sedation will have worse infectious outcomes when compared to patients that did not receive propofol. Additional hypothesis is that there is a positive correlation between the total amount of propofol received by ICU patients and the presence of unwanted outcomes. This study is approved by HHC IRB and is in the data collection stage

LEADACT – Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Disparities in Lower Extremity Amputation and Post-Amputation Rehabilitation in the United States: Retrospective Review of the Vascular Quality Initiative, Vascular Study Group of New England, and Hartford Hospital Data Registries.

PI: Trevor Sutton, MD, MBA / IRB# HHC-2021-0321

This study is a collaboration with the Heart and Vascular Research Institute and Vascular Surgery Department at Hartford Hospital. The objective of this study is to compare the preoperative and postoperative management trajectories, surgical outcomes, and post-amputation rehabilitation outcomes of patients with lower extremity peripheral vascular disease during two time periods; prior to the Affordable Care Act (2004 – 2009) and following its implementation (2015- 2020). The study is approved by HHC IRB and is in the data collection stage.

Thoracic Trauma Study- A Retrospective Cohort Study to Compare Clinical Outcomes of Continuous Regional Plane Blocks (Erector Spinae or Serratus Anterior) vs. Thoracic Epidural Catheter vs. No Regional Block in Patients With Fractured Ribs Thoracic Trauma

PI: Kevin Finkel, MD/ Co-PI: Nishant Merchant, MD / IRB # HHC-2022-0052

This study is a retrospective review in collaboration with the Trauma Surgery and Emergency Trauma Departments at Hartford Hospital. The primary objective is to determine if there are differences in using either CESPB, CSAPB, or epidural catheters on the following clinical outcomes: opioid consumption, pain control, hospital and ICU length-of-stay, the incidence of procedural complications, to assess hemodynamic instability, the need for and the amount vasoactive support, management of VTE prophylactic medications, incidence of complications like delirium; pneumonia, UTI, and mortality rate. Other trauma-related outcomes include time to the first ambulation, time to discharge from ED, time to initiate regional anesthesia regimen, ventilator duration, rate of tracheostomy, de-saturation episodes. Secondary objectives include a comparison of all three regional analgesia types as one group to a non-block group in terms of pain control, opioid consumption, hospital, and ICU length-of-stay, and the incidence of complications. The tertiary objective is to assess whether there were socioeconomic, ethnic, or racial disparities present in the treatment of those patients. This study is currently approved by IRB and open.

POStoperative Serratus anterior and Erector spinae plane BLock catheters In video-assisted Thoracoscopic surgerY (POSSEBiLITY)

PI: Carla Maffeo-Mitchell, MD / IRB #E-HHC-2021-0097

A single-center, retrospective cohort study at Hartford Hospital in the protocol stage looking at the evolution of serratus anterior and erector spinae blocks for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical patients. The primary outcomes of this study include VAS pain scores, hospital length-of-stay, and opioid consumption. This study is approved by HHC IRB and is in the data collection stage.

Contact Us

If you would like to learn more about IAA Hartford Division Research, please contact us. We would love to hear from you.


Mailing Address:
Department of Anesthesia Research / Department of Anesthesiology
Hartford Hospital
80 Seymour Street, JB321
Hartford, CT 06102

Office Hours: 
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Contacts: 

  • Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA
    Medical Director of Research
     
    Department of Anesthesia Research,  Hartford Division
    Email Dr. Finkel
  • Aseel Walker, MD
    Director of Clinical Research

    Department of Anesthesia Research,  Hartford Division
    Tel: 860-972-1778
    Email Aseel Walker
  • Sarah Vincze, MPH
    Research Internship Program Coordinator
    Research Coordinator, IAA
    Department of Anesthesia Research,  Hartford Division
    Tel: 860-972-5487
    Email: Sarah Vincze
Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA

Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA
Medical Director of Clinical Research,
Department of Anesthesia Research,  Hartford Division
Email Dr. Finkel

Aseel Walker - Director of Clinical Research

Aseel Walker, MD
Director of Clinical Research,
Department of Anesthesia Research,  Hartford Division
Tel: 860-972-1778
Email Aseel

Sarah Vincze, MPH
Research Internship Program Coordinator
Research Coordinator, IAA
Department of Anesthesia Research, Hartford Division
Tel: 860-972-5487
Email Sarah