
Cardiac Anesthesiologists
A pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist is a highly-trained doctor who specializes in providing anesthesia care for children undergoing cardiothoracic or vascular surgery. These specialized anesthesiologists spend four years in medical school, four years training to provide anesthesia during surgery and an additional one to two years focusing on cardiac and/or vascular anesthesia.
The Heart Center is home to the only anesthesia program in Illinois where each anesthesiologist is board-certified and fellowship-trained in pediatric anesthesia. Children who undergo cardiac procedures at Lurie Children’s are monitored by a team that specializes in anesthesia for congenital heart disease. Our experts are with your child from the preoperative visit through the recovery period. The team of specialists monitors nearly 20 different vital functions of your child's body during cardiac surgery. They monitor every heartbeat and every breath your child takes during cardiac surgery.
Our cardiac anesthesiologists are faculty in the Department of Anesthesia at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
In addition to our cardiac anesthesia team, we are home to a nationally-recognized program in pediatric pain management. The expert care of our pain management team will continue to care for your child into the postoperative period to ensure your child has optimal pain control after their cardiac procedure.
Click on the names of our cardiac anesthesiologists to learn more about their special interest areas and locations. Please note, not all of our specialists are available at every location.

Michael A. Evans, MD, FASA
Attending Physician, Cardiac Anesthesiology


David J. Krodel, MD, MS, FASA
Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Medical Director, Acute Pain


Emily Klinefelter, APRN-CRNA, DNAP
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Crystal A. Spaeth, APRN-NP
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Anesthesia

Meghan M. Christopher, APRN-CRNA, MSN
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Abigail Hadley, APRN-CRNA, DNP
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Anne Havrilla, APRN-CRNA, MSN
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Lauren S. Irwin, APRN-CRNA, MSN
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology