Welcome to
The Manila Academy of Regional Anesthesia (MARA) was established by a core group of 5 Filipino anesthesiologists who initiated and introduced the use of the peripheral nerve stimulator and ultrasound guided regional anesthesia (RA) in the Philippines. Since 2008, the co-founders of MARA have been faculty members, speakers and facilitators in various ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) courses held throughout the country and internationally. Attendees were taught basic and advanced nerve blocks, ultrasound physics and knobology, needling, sonoanatomy, identification of nerves and plexuses in cadavers, as well as ultrasound scanning on live models. Real time, live peripheral nerve blocks among patients undergoing surgery in the operating theatre have also been performed to demonstrate the transfer of RA knowledge into a skill.
The mission of MARA is to accelerate the development of RA by incorporating its use into the armamentarium of care that anesthesiologists deliver to patients. To achieve this, monthly webinars are held wherein RA masters around the world showcase their expertise. Further, inter-hospital journal clubs are conducted to feature application of different RA techniques in our local hospitals. Moreover, the Academy aims to conduct an in-depth course on RA once the pandemic is over, offering it to those Filipino anesthesiologists who wish to advance beyond the basics. Together with local faculty members, regional anesthesiologists from Europe and Asia who are well known in the field are invited as speakers for them to share their expertise in the education and training of anesthesiologists. All of these efforts are directed towards the further propagation of safe and proper RA knowledge and skills.