Karim Ladha

MD, MSc, FRCPC

Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute

Biography

Dr. Karim Ladha is a clinician-scientist and staff anesthesiologist at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto. Dr. Ladha received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He then completed his anesthesia training at Massachusetts General Hospital and obtained a fellowship in cardiac anesthesia at Toronto General Hospital. He also holds a Master’s degree in clinical epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. His program of research uses mixed methodologies to obtain a multifaceted view of pain and recovery after surgery including retrospective analyses of administrative databases, prospective observational studies, and multi-center randomized controlled trials. His research has been published in top-tier journals including JAMA, BMJ, British Journal of Anesthesia and Anesthesiology. He has received numerous awards for his work including the International Anesthesia Research Society Mentored Research Award, a new investigator award from the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society and the IMPACT award in anesthesia.

His current research interests include:

–       Exploring the use of anesthetic drugs such as ketamine and nitrous oxide to treat depression

–       Understanding the role of cannabis in mitigating pain

–       Using wearable technology and mobile applications to track recovery after surgery

Please note: Dr. Ladha is not accepting any students at this time.

Recent Publications

  1. Shakil, H, Malhotra, AK, Jaffe, RH, Smith, CW, Harrington, EM, Wang, AP et al.. Factors influencing withdrawal of life-supporting treatment in cervical spinal cord injury: a large multicenter observational cohort study. Crit Care. 2023;27 (1):448. doi: 10.1186/s13054-023-04725-x. PubMed PMID:37980485 PubMed Central PMC10656773.
  2. Ladha, KS, Vachhani, K, Gabriel, G, Darville, R, Everett, K, Gatley, JM et al.. Impact of a Transitional Pain Service on postoperative opioid trajectories: a retrospective cohort study. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2023; :. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2023-104709. PubMed PMID:37940350 .
  3. Clarke, H, Miles, S, Ladha, KS, Kitchen, SA, Gomes, T. Interventional pain blocks in Ontario: a population-based cross-sectional study on 2019 procedural volumes, clustering, and physician billings. Can J Anaesth. 2023;70 (11):1765-1775. doi: 10.1007/s12630-023-02596-y. PubMed PMID:37919632 .
  4. Daza, JF, Wijeysundera, HC, Diep, C, Ladha, KS, Cuthbertson, BH, Wijeysundera, DN et al.. Healthcare Costs of New Functional Impairment in the Year after Noncardiac Surgery. Anesthesiology. 2023;139 (6):902-904. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000004674. PubMed PMID:37874043 .
  5. Ladha, KS, Lu, J, McIsaac, DI, van Vlymen, JM, Lebovic, G, Ehtesham, S et al.. Peri-Operative Wearables in Elder Recover after Surgery (POWERS) study: a protocol for a multicentre, prospective cohort study to evaluate perioperative activity with postoperative disability in older adults after non-cardiac surgery. BMJ Open. 2023;13 (9):e073612. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073612. PubMed PMID:37770257 PubMed Central PMC10546154.
  6. Goel, A, Rai, Y, Sivadas, S, Diep, C, Clarke, H, Shanthanna, H et al.. Use of Psychedelics for Pain: A Scoping Review. Anesthesiology. 2023;139 (4):523-536. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000004673. PubMed PMID:37698433 .
  7. Bicket, MC, Ladha, KS, Boehnke, KF, Lai, Y, Gunaseelan, V, Waljee, JF et al.. The Association of Cannabis use After Discharge from Surgery with Opioid Consumption and Patient-Reported Outcomes. Ann Surg. 2023; :. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006085. PubMed PMID:37638417 .
  8. Gandotra, S, Daza, JF, Diep, C, Mitani, AA, Ladha, KS, Wijeysundera, DN et al.. Psychological Distress after inpatient non-cardiac Surgery: A Secondary Analysis of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery (METS) Prospective Cohort Study. Ann Surg. 2023; :. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006031. PubMed PMID:37477019 .
  9. Trivedi, V, Ladha, KS, Jivraj, NK, Saskin, R, Thorpe, KE, Wijeysundera, DN et al.. Association between preoperative cardiac risk assessment and health care costs in major noncardiac surgery: a multicentre health economic analysis. Can J Anaesth. 2023;70 (8):1340-1349. doi: 10.1007/s12630-023-02519-x. PubMed PMID:37430180 .
  10. Hauck, TS, Ladha, KS, Le Foll, B, Wijeysundera, DN, Kurdyak, P. Postoperative buprenorphine continuation in stabilized buprenorphine patients: A population cohort study. Addiction. 2023;118 (10):1953-1964. doi: 10.1111/add.16223. PubMed PMID:37332171 .
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management – University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital