Our History

Outreach to Association of Cardiac Anesthesiologists

Co-SCA founder George Burgess MD writes to Norig Ellison MD about the limited-membership Association of Cardiac Anesthesiologists, suggesting open membership to all interested subspecialists. ACA officer Daniel Philbin MD recommends starting a new organization to fulfill that need.

SCA Incorporated in Louisiana

SCA Founders: Bob Marino MD and George Burgess MD

First SCA Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA

On November 16, 1979, Jerry Reves MD becomes first elected President. Other officers include: George Burgess MD VP and Program Coordinator, Donald Harmon MD Secretary-Treasurer.

Annual Meeting of Southern Society of Anesthesiologists

Ochsner Clinic and University of Alabama cardiac anesthesia groups collaborate on SCA membership solicitation and program for November meeting

First SCA Newsletter

Second Annual Meeting, Kiawah Island, SC

First Keynote Speaker: Jim Arens MD

Scientific Program Committee Formed

First Chair: Paul Barash MD

First Collaboration with Other Professional Organizations

Glenn Gravlee MD appointed SCA representative to Board of Governors of American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, joining pre-existing representatives from Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Committee on Education and Research Established

Chairperson: Jerry Reves MD

Committee on Research Formed

Chairperson: John Tinker MD

Management Contract with Ruggles Service Corp

John Hinckley, CEO

First American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Breakfast Panel

First Research Grant

Resident Awards RA Alpert MD and PN Beaupre MD

SCA Publication Committee Formed

Chairperson: Jerry Reves MD

Canadian Board Member Position is Established

First Representative: Earl Wynands MD

First Workshop at Annual Meeting

Workshop Organizer: Alan Schwartz MD

First Starter Research Award

Recipient: Phillipe Housmans MD

First International Congress of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia (ICCVA) in Munich, West Germany

Publication of First SCA Monograph: “Acute Revascularization of the Infarcted Heart”

Annual Series 1987–2010; First Editor: Jerry Reves MD

Decision to Pursue a Journal Affiliation

Initiate Collaboration with Financial Advisor to Manage SCA Investments

Journal Affiliation with Anesthesia & Analgesia

Section on Cardiac Anesthesiology established, Section editor Jerry Reves MD

First Young Investigator Awards

In 1993 Dr Arthur Wallace was one of the first two recipients of the new SCA Young Investigator Award.  At the time he was an Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology (ACTA) Fellow at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), having completed an MD-PhD in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins Medical School and an anesthesiology residency at UCSF.  Dr […]

Begin Development of a Perioperative TEE Exam

First Annual Update on Cardiopulmonary Bypass

First interdisciplinary SCA-sanctioned educational meeting Co-chairs: Frederick Hensley MD and Eugene Hessel MD

First Annual Comprehensive Review and Update on Perioperative Echocardiography

Co-chairs Robert Savage MD and Sol Aronson MD

Formation of National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) by SCA and American Society of Echocardiography

Dan Thys MD, Founding Director, first SCA member to serve as NBE President

First Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Examination

Working Group for Subspecialty Certification Formed

Implementation of SCA Website

SCA Newsletter converts to on-line format

First Distinguished Service Award

Recipient: Earl Wynands MD

Mid-Career Research Grants Implemented

Recipients: Yaacov Gozal MD and John Hayes MD

SCA Endorses American Heart Association Guidelines on Physician Competency in TEE

Collaboration with ASA on Annual Meeting Cardiac Track Begins

Anesthesia Residency Review Committee Endorses Accreditation of Fellowship Programs in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology

FOCUS Patient Safety Project Initiated

In 2004, the SCA Board wished to create a compelling, impactful philanthropic project that would improve patient outcomes and have broad medical and lay appeal.  The Flawless Operative Cardiovascular Unified Systems (FOCUS) initiative was a novel program that was conceived by Bruce D. Spiess, MD, FAHA. The vision was for a lasting initiative with wide […]

First Joint Collaboration on Practice Guidelines – Management of Patients with Valvular Heart Disease with American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association

SCA Representative: Jack Shanewise MD

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Approves Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowships

Christina Mora Mangano MD elected first woman President of SCA

SCA Foundation Established Under the Leadership of Joyce Wahr, MD

Mission: Generate and manage funding for SCA research grants.

SCA Newsletter Goes Online

First Fellow Session at Annual Meeting

First ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Programs

Collaboration with Heartweb by ASA and SCA Starts Development of Basic Perioperative TEE Program

Initiation of Basic Perioperative TEE Certification

On-Line Fellowship Lecture Series Implemented

Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship Match Program Initiated

First SCA proposal for subspecialty certification in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology rejected by American Board of Anesthesiology

SCA Participation in STS Database Initiated

First Full-Day Thoracic Anesthesia Symposium at Annual Meeting

Miami, FL

SCA and ASA Launch Basic Perioperative TEE Program

First Perioperative TEE Recertification

First 35 Years of SCA History Published in A&A

An Essay on 35 Years of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists” published in Anesthesia & Analgesia 2014; 119:255-65. Author: Jerry Reves MD Read The Essay

European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology (EACTA) Board Position Established

History of the SCA First SCA Monograph Title Content

Journal Circulation Annual Supplement on Cardiac Surgery Appoints Jerrold Levy MD as Co-editor

First Special Interest Group (SIG) Created

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) were created to allow interest groups to exist within the organizational structure of SCA.  The first SIG was Women in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology (WICTA).  It was created to recruit, develop and promote women and underrepresented minority physicians as leaders in cardiothoracic anesthesiology through sponsorship, mentorship and education.  Its first chairperson was Darryl […]

American Board of Anesthesiology approves Subspecialty Certification in Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology

SCA President Chris Troianos MD

Establishment of Two Early Career Board of Directors positions