TopMedTalk – Details, episodes & analysis

TopMedTalk are proud to present The Siobhan Mythen Plenary Lecture, taken from our coverage of Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) Ireland 2025.

Professor Ellen O'Sullivan trained in anaesthesiology and intensive care in UK and USA and is now a Consultant Anaesthesiologist at St James's Hospital Dublin, Ireland, affiliated to Trinity College Dublin. She specializes in airway management and is Director of the Fellowship in Advanced Airway Management and Simulation. She is Past President of the Difficult Airway Society, DAS, and was appointed DAS Professor of Anaesthesia & Airway Management.

She outlines the "The difficult anatomical airway" and introduces the Siobhan Mythen plenary lecturer Professor John Laffey.

John Laffey is Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Galway (formerly National University of Ireland, Galway), where he also serves in clinical and research leadership roles. His work focuses on critical illnesses, particularly Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, mechanical ventilation strategies, and translational research including cell/gene therapies for these conditions.

He discusses, "The Difficult Physiology Airway"

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

At the Royal College of Anaesthetists' Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) Perioperative Leads Day in London, host Andy Cumpstey speaks with James White, a perioperative medicine clinician (and qualified general practitioner) working within the NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside, serving as Clinical Lead for Perioperative Medicine and contributing to national improvement work with the Centre for Perioperative Care, Simon Rang, consultant anaesthetist at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust who also contributes to national healthcare improvement work including with the Centre for Perioperative Care, and Denny Levett, Director of the Centre for Perioperative Care, and a Professor of Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care and Consultant at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Southampton.

The conversation covers how UK perioperative medicine policy is implemented through evolving NHS structures. They explain the relationship between national policy (Department of Health, NHS England) and delivery via regions, integrated care boards (ICBs), and local trusts, emphasizing integrated pathways spanning primary and secondary care, particularly post-COVID. James outlines five core requirements: early perioperative screening, proactive optimization/prehabilitation, maintaining health while waiting, listing patients only when medically fit, and shared decision-making. The guests discuss how regional and ICB networks share solutions, address variation and barriers (including finances and culture), and use CPOC guidance and resources alongside initiatives like GIRFT to support consistent implementation.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

Kate Leslie and Andy Cumpstey join special guests at the British Journal of Anaesthesia's annual meeting in Dublin, Ireland. The discussion focuses on the experiences and motivations of three BJA editorial fellows; Allison Janda, Anesthesiologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan; Brett Doleman, clinical academic and anaesthetist from the University of Nottingham; and Christina Boncyk, critical care anesthesiologist and Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

The conversation delves into their roles, the peer review process, and the mentorship that shapes their contributions to medical science. They emphasize the importance of constructive feedback, scientific rigor, and encouraging participation from new reviewers.

The episode underscores the professional growth afforded by editorial roles and highlights ways to enhance the author and reviewer experience in academic publishing.

Euroanaesthesia is recognised worldwide as one of the most important and influential annual congresses in anaesthesiology and intensive care. Organised by The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM). This year, TopMedTalk is there in Munich, Germany, bringing you exclusive coverage.

This piece focuses upon bringing education to a wider selection of people and new ways of disseminating information.

Presented by Desiree Chappell and Kate Leslie with their guests, Markus Klimek, Director, Residency Training Program, Vice-Chairman, Associate Professor, Erasmus MC, Department of Anesthesiology and Joana Berger-Estilita, Consultant in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care at Bern University Hospital Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland, co-Director of the ESICM European Perioperative Intensive Care Curriculum e-course.

The team aspect of perioperative care is an essential element, this piece gets into the details as thought leaders and key opinion makers engage with the debate regarding how that actually works in practice.

Moderated by Ross Kerridge, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia, often cited as 'the father of Modern Perioperative Medicine'; the panel consists of, Charlie Corke, Associate Professor, Senior Intensive Care Specialist, Barwon Health, Kerin Fielding, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame, Australia School of Medicine, Sydney and Don Campbell, Professor of Medicine at Monash University and Head of General Medicine at Southern Health.

This piece dives into "The new www revolution?: Wireless Wearables on the Ward". Improving the monitoring of patients on the wards is an exciting prospect for any modern practitioner and as personal health monitoring technology becomes mainstream for the public it's surely an inevitable part of the future of medicine.

The website mentioned in the podcast is here: https://www.michardconsulting.com/

The Global burden of postoperative death - The Lancet is here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)33139-8/fulltext?rss=yes

This paper in The Lancet is also mentioned: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)61148-9/fulltext

Presented by Desiree Chappell and Monty Mythen with their guest Frederic Michard of MiCo Consulting.

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Our guest previously featured on TopMedTalk here:

https://www.topmedtalk.com/asa-2018-san-francisco-the-practical-applications-of-innovation/

This piece takes a look at the frontline fight against COVID 19 at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in New Jersey, USA. Details of airway, ventilation and hemodynamic management are discussed with the director of Critical care and Anesthesiology. Resource management is a clear front runner as the virus creates a public health emergency for medics to try to battle. Additional beds and treatment facilities are being prepared, what other innovations are being brought to the fore.

Presented by Desiree Chappell with Monty Mythen and their guests Michael Scott, M.B., Ch.B. Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania, Jasmeet Bajaj, MD, Chief of Critical Care and Bridget Ruscito, MD Chair of the Dept of Anesthesiology at the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and Jesse James Kiefer, MD, Anesthesiologist Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania.

If you found this interesting listen to more on the topic here: https://www.topmedtalk.com/covid-19-epidemiology-revisited-a-case-for-virtual-meetings/

Thank you to our sponsor Edwards Lifesciences.

Edwards clinical education (ECE): https://www.edwards.com/clinicaleducation

Extended periods of intraoperative hypotension are firmly associated with harm. This piece looks into the detail behind concerns regarding hypotension. Are we now in a position where we can eliminate it entirely?

The paper mentioned in this piece, "Ability of an Arterial Waveform Analysis–Derived Hypotension Prediction Index to Predict Future Hypotensive Events in Surgical Patients", is here: https://journals.lww.com/anesthesia-analgesia/Abstract/publishahead/Ability_of_an_Arterial_Waveform_Analysis_Derived.96240.aspx

Presented by Desiree Chappell and Monty Mythen with their guest Thomas Scheeren, Chair Cardiovascular Dynamics Section at European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM).

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Our work regarding hypotension is here: https://www.topmedtalk.com/?s=Hypotension

In this piece we look at how Australia is dealing with the COVID 19 crisis. What restrictions are being placed upon people and how strict are they? How does "the father of perioperative medicine" see the world which is now being asked to face one of its most urgent medical emergencies? Has the time come to honour 'the whole team' in the institutions where we work? How can medics help to rebuild our societies after the already devastating consequences of a global pandemic?

Presented by Desiree Chappell with her guest Ross Kerridge, Senior Staff Specialist Anaesthetist Clinician at the John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia and Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle.

The article mentioned is here: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6699930/honouring-our-courageous-frontline-force-in-the-fight-against-covid-19/

Thank you to our sponsor Edwards Lifesciences.

Edwards clinical education (ECE): https://www.edwards.com/clinicaleducation

Preoperative risk stratification; what is are the risks and controversies behind preoperative exercise testing and the six minute walk test? This piece looks at the evidence behind both and some practical guidance for informing clinical care.

Does the six minute walk test predict complications? What is the true value for cardiopulminary exercise testing (CPET)?

For more on the METS study go here: https://www.topmedtalk.com/the-measurement-of-exercise-tolerance-before-surgery-mets-trial/

Presented by Duminda Wijeysundera, Professor in the Department of Anaesthesia and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, and a Staff Anesthesiologist at St Michael's Hospital.