Adolescents who undergo major surgery experience high rates of disabling acute and chronic postsurgical pain. This experience of pain in turn delays recovery and impairs health outcomes. Our lab examines the contributing and mitigating factors of pain development through rigorous observational and interventional studies to inform effective perioperative pain treatment.
Acute to Chronic Pain Transition
Adolescents who undergo major surgery experience high rates of disabling acute and chronic postsurgical pain. This experience of pain in turn delays recovery and impairs health outcomes. Our lab leads clinical studies that characterize perioperative pain trajectories and identify early predictors of chronic pain, informing timely detection and intervention before adverse trajectories are established.
Psychosocial and Integrative Treatments for Pediatric Pain
The perioperative model of care is medically focused, and there has been limited application of psychosocial and complementary and integrative interventions for adolescents undergoing major surgery. Our current clinical trials focus on testing the feasibility and efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to address pain while reducing reliance on medication post-surgery.
Risk and Resiliency Mechanisms of Pain Persistence
Pain following surgery is shaped by a complex interplay of biopsychosocial factors, and understanding their mechanisms of action is essential to developing targeted, multimodal interventions to minimize pain persistence. Our lab examines the contributing and mitigating factors of pain development and persistence through rigorous observational and interventional studies to inform effective perioperative pain treatment.
For inquiries or further information about our research and our lab, we welcome you to get in touch with us.