Stephen Garber, MD

Laguna Woods , California
Stephen Garber, MD Expert Witness
Curriculum Vitae

Publications

Anesthesiologist-OB Anesthesia Fellowship 35+yrs

Contact this Expert Witness

  • Phone: 949 280-6497
  • Cell: (949) 280-6497

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

General Specialties:

Obstetrical Anesthesiology and Anesthesiology

Keywords/Search Terms:

nerve injury from epidural, failed spinal anesthesia, failed intubation, maternal hemorrhage, maternal cardiac arrest, local anesthesia toxicity, total spinal anesthesia, respiratory arrest, seizure related to anesthesia, awareness under anesthesia, permanent neurological injury, post partum bleed

Education:

BA, University of California Los Angeles; MD, University of California Irvine

Years in Practice:

35+

Number of Times Deposed/Testified in Last 4 Yrs:

1

Additional Information

Stephen Z. Garber, MD Fellowship-Trained Obstetric Anesthesiologist Fellowship-trained Obstetric Anesthesiologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience at a Level III Labor and Delivery Center. I have personally performed over 15,000 regional anesthetics, including epidural and spinal techniques for labor and cesarean delivery. Throughout my tenure, I have led institutional Best Practices initiatives and served as the point person for two successful Center of Excellence designations through the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP). I have implemented numerous innovations in obstetric anesthesia practice, including: Transition from epidural to spinal anesthesia as the preferred technique for cesarean delivery Implementation of Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia (PCEA) Introduction of advanced difficult airway equipment and protocols Adoption of Combined Spinal-Epidural (CSE) techniques for labor analgesia Deployment of rapid infusion systems for obstetric hemorrhage Integration of point-of-care rapid hemoglobin testing Introduction of handheld ultrasound for difficult neuraxial placement Development of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols for cesarean delivery Implementation of TAP blocks with long-acting local anesthetics following cesarean section Reduction of perioperative opioid utilization by more than 80% As a regional referral center for high-risk maternity patients, I have extensive experience managing complex obstetric cases, including severe maternal comorbidities and high-acuity peripartum conditions. In addition to my clinical and leadership roles, I serve as a medical expert witness in anesthesiology matters, with particular expertise in obstetric anesthesia. I have provided expert opinion in case review, written reports, affidavit preparation, and deposition testimony regarding standard of care, documentation practices, perioperative management, and causation issues related to neuraxial anesthesia and obstetric complications. I currently serve as Director of Obstetrical Anesthesiology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California. I remain actively engaged in full-time clinical practice and participate in the departmental peer review process for obstetric anesthesia cases.