Stephen Halpern

MD, FRCP, M.Sc.
Affiliate scientist
stephen.halpern@sunnybrook.ca
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Research Assistant:

Doris Cheung
Phone: 416-323-6100 Ext: 87757
Email: doris.cheung@sunnybrook.ca

Dr. Halpern’s recent research studies focus on needle design and postdural puncture headache related to epidural analgesia (with Dr. Pamela Angle); use of ultrasound to determine level of lumbar puncture; use of ultrasound to locate the epidural space in morbidly obese women who are in labour; incidence of general anesthesia for caesarean section after labour epidural; and post-caesarean section analgesia.

Education:

  • MD, 1977, University of Toronto, Canada
  • FRCP, 1982, anesthesia, U of T, Canada
  • M.Sc., 1996, clinical epidemiology, McMaster University, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

  • Affiliate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, DAN Women & Babies Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
  • Professor, departments of anesthesia, and obstetrics & gynaecology, U of T
  • Member, Cochrane Anesthesia Research Group (CARG)

Research Foci

  • Meta-analysis and systematic review of best practices in obstetrical anesthesia

Publications

Affiliated Labs & Programs

Selected Publications

  1. Krom AJ, Cohen Y, Miller P, Ezri T, Halpern SH, Ginosar Y. Choice of anaesthesia for category I caesarean section in women with anticipated difficult tracheal intubation: the use of decision analysis. Anaesthesia. 2017;72:156–71. doi:10.1111anae.13729. Accompanied by an editorial and CME—aagbi.org.

  2. Onwochei D, Halpern SH, Balki M. Teamwork assessment tools in obstetric emergencies: a systematic review. Simulation in Healthcare. 2017;12:165–76.

  3. Malhotra R, Johnstone C, Halpern S, Hunter J, Banerjee A. Duration of motor block with intrathecal ropivacaine vs intrathecal bupivacaine for caesarean section: a meta-analysis. IJOA. 2016;27:9–16.

  4. Sultan P, Halpern SH, Pushpanathan E, Patel S, Carvalho, B. The effect of intrathecal morphine dose on outcomes after elective cesarean delivery: a meta-analysis. Anesth Analg. 2016;123:154–64.

  5. Abdullah F, Brull R, Halpern SH. Will the real benefits of single-shot interscalene block please stand up? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Anesth Analg. 2015;120:1114–29. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000000688 (accompanied by and editorial).