Myron Yaster, MD

Richard J. Traystman Distinguished Professor
Departments of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Bloomberg Children's Center 6320
1800 Orleans Street
Baltimore, MD 21287
Phone: 410-614-6223
E-mail:  myaster1@jhmi.edu
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In an ongoing series of clinical and laboratory experiments that began in the 1980s, Dr. Myron Yaster has been at the forefront of studies that demonstrated that the newborn infant responds to pain. More important, he and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins have proven that this pain can be prevented by the appropriate use of anesthetics (general and regional) and analgesic drugs. Clearly pain, anxiety, and discomfort (both physical and psychological) are not limited to the newborn and do not begin and end with the induction and conclusion of surgery and anesthesia. Dr. Yaster is a pioneer in the development of various new methods of pain management in infants, children, and adolescents involving new drugs, novel drug delivery techniques, and system management. This research is ongoing.

Dr. Yaster started the Pediatric Pain Service at Johns Hopkins and was its director until 2005. This program treats approximately 3,000 in- and out-patients per year and is considered by many to be one of the top programs in the world. It sets the standard for practice nationally and internationally and has served as the source of extensive translational research and practice policy. He and his colleagues have published extensively in this area. His two textbooks, Pain in Infants, Children, and Adolescents and The Pediatric Pain Management and Sedation Handbook are considered the gold standards in the field. He has authored many original papers in this area as first or senior author and has mentored many individuals within and outside of the department who have gone on to become leaders in the areas of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Pediatric Pain Management. Current research projects include:

1. Techniques to minimize or prevent opioid-induced side effects using ultra-low doses of opioid antagonists or peripheal opioid antagonists.
2. Using proteomics and other molecular biologic techniques to study tolerance, dependence, withdrawal, and the interaction of the opioid and glutamate, both in acute and chronic pain models.
3. Investigating the impact of pain and its management in target populations, including infants and children, patients with cystic fibrosis, patients with skeletal connective tissue diseases, and adult patients with brain cancer or who have undergone craniotomy surgery.

Professional Activities
Society for Pediatric Anesthesia
Associate Professor Promotions Committee Johns Hopkins Hospital

Selected Publications

1. Maxwell LG, Kaufmann SC, Bitzer S, Jackson EV, Jr., McGready J, Kost-Byerly S, Kozlowski L, Rothman SK, Yaster M. The effects of a small-dose naloxone infusion on opioid-induced side effects and analgesia in children and adolescents treated with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia: a double-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled study. Anesth.Analg 100:953–8, 2005.
2. Gottschalk A, Berkow LC, Stevens RD, Mirski M, Thompson RE, White ED, Weingart JD, Long DM, Yaster M. Prospective evaluation of pain and analgesic use following major elective intracranial surgery. J.Neurosurg 106:210–6, 2007.
3. Guan Y, Yaster M, Raja SN, Tao YX. Genetic knockout and pharmacologic inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase attenuate nerve injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity in mice. Mol Pain 3:29–34, 2007.
4. Maher EN, Hansen SF, Heine M, Meers H, Yaster M, Hunt EA. Knowledge of procedural sedation and analgesia of emergency medicine physicians. Pediatr Emerg Care 23:869–76, 2007.
5. Berde CB, Yaster M, Meretoja O, McCann ME, Huledal G, Gustafsson U, Larsson LE. Stable plasma concentrations of unbound ropivacaine during postoperative epidural infusion for 24–72 hours in children. Eur J Anaesthesiol 25(5):410–7, 2008.

Laboratory Members/Key Associates
Yun Guan, PhD
Srinivasa N. Raja, MD
Yuan-Xiang Tao, MD, PhD