Biography
Academic and clinical interests
Dr. Kimmo Murto is a Tier 2 Clinical Research Chair in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, leading the program Child Health Innovative Research-Perioperative Care & Patient Blood Management (CHIRP2) for Kids. This dual-stream program focuses on perioperative adenotonsillectomy care and personalized patient blood management.
His research interests include reducing acute/chronic postoperative pain, identifying high-performing hospitals based on patient postoperative healthcare-resource utilization, examining the role of obstructive sleep apnea and perioperative inflammation in patient outcomes, optimizing blood health, developing strategies for managing massive hemorrhage, strengthening pediatric hemovigilance, and leveraging technology to enhance value in healthcare service delivery.
Dr. Murto serves on the scientific committees of both the Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society (CPAS) and the Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management (SABM). He is also a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Patient Blood Management (PBM) and Pediatric Anesthesia Committees and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) PBM Special Interest Group.
Appointments
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (DAPM), CHEO
- Director of Research (2006-24)
- Medical Director Cardiac Anesthesia (2011-14)
- Medical Director Day Care and Recovery Room (2003-14)
- Deputy Academic Chief (2006-13)
- CHEO
- Interim Deputy Chief of Staff (2016-17)
- Medical Director Strategy and Performance (2013-17)
- Founding Chair Transfusion Medicine & Infusion Therapy Committee (2005-12)
- CHEO Research Institute
- Chair Science Committee (2008-12)
- DAPM, University of Ottawa
- Clinical Research Chair (Tier 2) Child Health Innovative Research: Perioperative Care & Patient Blood Management (CHIRP2) for Kids (2025-present)
- Vice Chair, Faculty Affairs (2025-present)
- Chair, Faculty Affairs Executive Committee (2025-present)
- Chair, Department Promotions Committee (2019-present)
- Associate Professor (2017)
- Chair Ottawa Department of Anesthesiology Research Day (2010-14)
- Provincial
- Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network Massive Hemorrhage Protocol Steering Committee pediatric lead (2023-present)
- International
- Founding Chair Pediatric Sub-Committee Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine (2012-17)
Honors and awards
- 5-yr Tier 2 Clinical Research Chair, University of Ottawa (2025)
- Top viewed article (Pediatr Anesth. 2023 Aug;33(8):609-619) by Journal Pediatric Anesthesia (2025)
- Journal Cover Art for article (Pediatr Anesth. 2023 Apr;33(4):291-302) in Journal Pediatric Anesthesia (2023)
- Best of the Best Research podium presentation at the Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management. Trainee E Fagan (Queen’s University) presenting (2022)
- Top 4 abstract (Massive Hemorrhage Toolkit), Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (2021)
- Innovation Fund Award for Technology and Education from the Innovation Fund Provincial Oversight Committee (IFPOC). Dr. L Lai presenting (2017)
- Best paper, Society for Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine (2013)
- Gold Ribbon Award for Hospital Leadership, CHEO (2013)
- Commendation for Innovative Leading Practice Transfusion Medicine Competency Training Accreditation Canada (2012)
- Best paper in Ambulatory Anesthesia Section Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (2009)
- Research Award of Excellence in the Area of Anesthesia, CHEO Research Institute (2008)
- Best paper in Ambulatory Anesthesia Section Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (2006)
- Clinical Staff Annual Teaching Award, DAPM, University of Ottawa (1997)
- Anaesthesia Staff Resident Teaching Award, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Toronto (1996)
Selected Publications
- Grant CL, Hajjaj OI, Murto K, Cope S, Petrosoniak A, Thompson T, Pavenski K, Callum JL. Massive Hemorrhage Protocol adoption and standardization with a provincial toolkit: a follow-up survey of Ontario hospitals. CJEM. 2025 Aug;27(8):614-625. doi: 10.1007/s43678-025-00929-y. Epub 2025 May 22. PubMed PMID: 40402339.
- Lai L, Roubos S, Radhakrishnan D, Benchimol EI, Wang X, Matai L, Keely E, Liddy C, Murto K. Increased access to pediatric specialist healthcare using eConsult: A retrospective observational cohort and case-control study. Paediatr Child Health. 2025 Jun;30(3):108-115. doi: 10.1093/pch/pxae047. eCollection 2025 Jun. PubMed PMID: 40599661.
- So V, Radhakrishnan D, MacCormick J, Webster RJ, Tsampalieros A, Zitikyte G, Ripley A, Murto K. Does Celecoxib Prescription for Pain Management Affect Post-tonsillectomy Hemorrhage Requiring Surgery? A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study. Anesthesiology. 2024 Aug 1;141(2):313-325. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000005032. PubMed PMID: 38684054.
- Tan GM, Murto K, Downey LA, Wilder MS, Goobie SM. Error traps in Pediatric Patient Blood Management in the Perioperative Period. Paediatr Anaesth. 2023 Aug;33(8):609-619. doi: 10.1111/pan.14683. Epub 2023 May 5. Review. PubMed PMID: 37144721.
- Tsampalieros A, Murto K, Barrowman N, Vaillancourt R, Bromwich M, Monsour A, Chan T, Katz SL. Opioid dose and postoperative respiratory adverse events after adenotonsillectomy in medically complex children. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022 Oct 1;18(10):2405-2413. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.10120. PubMed PMID: 35801349.
For a full list of Dr. Kimmo Murto’s publications, please visit his NCBI Bibliography.