Massachusetts General Hospital

BiographyAs a clinician and teacher, Dr. Eikermann focuses on innovation in the fields of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. As a researcher and mentor, he has a strong national and international reputation in the field of perioperative muscle function.

Dr. Eikermann serves on numerous committees including: ASA Committee on Research, ASA Committee on Critical Care Medicine, ASA Committee on Respiratory Care, SICU Performance Improvement Committee, MGH Research Council, and he is head of the Carl Rosow Center of Clinical Research at MGH. Furthermore, he is an Associate Editor for Anesthesiology and has filed a pharmacological patent application that is leading to ongoing drug development activities.

Research

Research Areas

• Perioperative muscle function Lab
• Perioperative pulmonary complications
• Neuromuscular blockade and neuromuscular blocking agents
• Early mobilization of critically ill patients
• Sleep medicine
• Perioperative epidemiology research

Description of Research

Dr. Eikermann works to translate scientific and economic principles to clinical practice, and his efforts have already started to influence clinical decision making. Based on his work in Germany and here in Boston, it is now clear that a train-of-four ratio of 0.9@ 1, rather than the previous recommendations of 0.6 - 0.7, indicates adequate recovery from the effects of neuromuscular blocking agents. A related area of his research investigating the effect and side effects of neostigmine during the reversal of neuromuscular blockade has raised new concern regarding this practice. Additionally, his team has developed an algorithm for goal-directed early mobilization in the surgical ICU which is being studied at three academic medical centers in New England, as well as in Germany.

As the Director of Research for the Critical Care Division, he serves as a mentor and teacher for a diverse group of medical students (international cooperation with Essen-Duisburg University, Germany), residents, fellows (surgeons, anesthesiologists, pulmonologists, and neurologists), nurses, physical therapists, and nurse practitioners. This multi-disciplinary collaboration results in initiatives that successfully blend clinical training, performance improvement initiatives and research. For example, based on his experience in sleep medicine (BWH 2005-2007), Dr. Eikermann has ongoing projects with researchers throughout the globe including in Michigan, the Netherlands, and Japan. Locally, he collaborates with Drs. Atul Malhotra and Nancy Chamberlin, two principal researchers in the Harvard Respiratory and Anesthesia Translational Group.

Publications

View my most recent publications at PubMed

Drugs used to immobilize patients during surgery raise risk of respiratory complications

MGH researchers have found that medications currently used to immobilize patients during surgery can increase the risk of postoperative respiratory complications.