Department of Anesthesia: Center for Pain Medicine and Regional Anesthesia

Clinical activities of the Department of Anesthesia outside the operating rooms are varied and ever increasing. The Center for Pain Medicine and Regional Anesthesia serves approximately 3,000 patients per year for diagnosis, management, and treatment of chronic painful disorders of many varieties.

In addition to routine pharmacological management of pain, diagnostic and therapeutic nerve blocks are performed for various painful conditions utilizing imaging as necessary. Subarachnoid, epidural, and other nerve blocks such as stellate ganglion, lumbar sympathetic, and celiac ganglion are regularly performed. Increasingly, the clinic is becoming involved in the care of cancer patients with pain using pharmacological and invasive treatment methods including intrathecal opioid injections and neurolytic destructive procedures.

Other therapeutic modalities utilized include biofeedback, relaxation, and stress management counseling. A clinical psychologist is available to contribute to the assessment and treatment of patients with chronic and acute pain syndromes. The services of a physical therapist are also available to assess and initiate exercise programs, as well as evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous nerve stimulation.

The Center for Pain Medicine and Regional Anesthesia also offers an active, acute pain service to manage pain experienced by patients postoperatively. Modalities utilized include lumbar and thoracic epidural analgesia, continuous peripheral nerve and intravenous infusions, and patient controlled analgesia.

An accredited Pain Fellowship Program has also been established.

Richard W. Rosenquist, M.D., Director
Anke Bellinger, MD
Timothy J. Brennan, MD, PhD
Alex Fraser, MD
Anthony Han, MD
Venkateswara Karuparthy, MD
Robert Raw, MD