Kyle Kirkham

Dr. Kyle Kirkham received his medical degree from the University of British Columbia in 2006. He subsequently trained as an anesthesiologist at the University of Toronto and obtained a fellowship in regional anesthesia at Toronto Western Hospital. He is currently a lecturer at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Kirkham’s clinical focus is preventing pain and optimizing less invasive approaches to anesthesia and surgery as a tool for helping patients leave hospital earlier and with improved recoveries. He is the director of the Anesthesia Preadmission Clinic at Women’s College Hospital where patients are counselled and prepared for their upcoming surgeries.

Dr. Kirkham is an educator with the University of Toronto and is the site coordinator for the U of T postgraduate residency training program at both Women’s College and Toronto Western Hospitals. He is an instructor for numerous U of T medical school courses and teaches locally and internationally for practicing anesthesiologists who are learning regional anesthesia. He has been recognized with prestigious hospital and university level teaching awards for these contributions.

Dr. Kirkham's research focus examines the preparation that patients receive for outpatient surgery and finds ways to ensure that patients receive the testing they need while supporting a sustainable and evidence based health care system. As president of the WCH MDMSA he is a representative for the hospital’s physicians who are proud to provide care at Women’s College Hospital. 

Research Synopsis

Dr. Kirkham’s foremost academic interest is examining the optimization of patient care during the perioperative period surrounding ambulatory surgical procedures. In particular, he focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of how changes in clinical pathways impact patients' clinical status at all levels of the perioperative period combined with a thorough understanding of the economic consequences of potential clinical events.  His work now takes our understanding of clinical outcomes and policy change processes and explores scaling strategies to expand successful local interventions to control low-value care across the health system.

In addition, he has an active research portfolio examining acute pain management and opioid reduction strategies including regional anesthesia techniques and multimodal analgesic interventions.  

Recent Publications

1. Baeriswyl M, Kirkham KR, Kern C, Albrecht E. The Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Adult Patients: A Meta-Analysis. Anesth Analg. 2015 [Epub ahead of print]
2. Kirkham KR, Wijeysundera DN, Pendrith C, Ng R, Tu JV, Laupacis A, Schull MJ, Levinson W, Bhatia RS. Preoperative testing before low-risk surgical procedures. CMAJ. 2015;187(11):E349-58.
3. Albrecht E, Kern C, Kirkham KR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of perineural dexamethasone for peripheral nerve blocks. Anaesthesia. 2015;70(1):71-83.
4. Albrecht E, Kirkham KR, Taffe P, Endersby RV, Chan VW, Tse C, Brull R. The maximum effective needle-to-nerve distance for ultrasound-guided interscalene block: an exploratory study. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2014;39(1):56-60
5. Perlas A, Kirkham KR, Billing R, Tse C, Brull R, Gandhi R, Chan VW. The impact of analgesic modality on early ambulation following total knee arthroplasty. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2013;38(4):334-9
6. Albrecht E, Kirkham KR, Endersby RV, Chan VW, Jackson T, Okrainec A, Penner T, Jin R, Brull R. Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for laparoscopic gastric-bypass surgery: a prospective randomized controlled double-blinded trial. Obes Surg. 2013;23(8):1309-14.
7. Clarke H, Kirkham KR, Orser BA, Katznelson R, Mitsakakis N, Ko R, Snyman A, Ma M, Katz J. Gabapentin reduces preoperative anxiety and pain catastrophizing in highly anxious patients prior to major surgery: a blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial. Can J Anaesth. 2013;60(5):432-43.
8. Albrecht E, Kirkham KR, Liu SS, Brull R. The analgesix efficacy and safety of neuraxial magnesium sulphate: a quantitative review. Anaesthesia. 2013;68(2):190-202.
9. Albrecht E, Kirkham KR, Liu SS, Brul R. Peri-operative intravenous administration of magnesium sulphate and postoperative pain: a meta-analysis. Anaesthesia. 2013;68(1):79-90.

Appointments

Toronto Western Hospital: Medical Director – Acute Pain Services
Women’s College Hospital: Medical Director – Anesthesia Preadmission Services
Women’s College Hospital: President – Medical Staff Association 

Honours and Awards

Name: UT New Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
Description:

2014 - Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto

Name: Undergraduate Teaching Award
Description:

2014 - MSH-UHN Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management

Courses

Course Number: Site Coordinator (Toronto Western Hospital/Women’s College Hospital)
Course Name: Postgraduate Residency
Course Number: MMMD course PBL tutor
Course Name: Undergraduate Medicine
Course Number: ASCM I course core tutor
Course Name: Undergraduate Medicine
Course Number: Portfolio senior scholar
Course Name: Undergraduate Medicine