Heather K. Hayanga
Papers
2
Total Citations
24
H-Index
2
About
Dr. Heather K. Hayanga is a leading anesthesiologist and critical care researcher whose work focuses on optimizing perioperative outcomes, particularly in cardiac surgery. Her most impactful contribution challenges conventional practice: in her highly cited 2021 paper, "Patients should be extubated in the operating room after routine cardiac surgery: An inconvenient truth" (22 citations), she demonstrates that immediate extubation in the OR is both safe and beneficial when supported by an aligned multidisciplinary team—a finding that has sparked important debate in the field. Dr. Hayanga also investigates rare but critical safety events, as in her 2022 work on inadvertent intraoperative defibrillation from electrocautery grounding pad placement in patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices. Her research bridges clinical pragmatism and patient safety, offering evidence-based guidance for high-stakes surgical environments. With a growing citation footprint, Dr. Hayanga is establishing herself as a thoughtful voice in perioperative medicine, pushing for protocols that reduce complications and improve recovery. Her work is essential reading for clinicians and researchers seeking to refine cardiac surgical care.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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