RAPM Focus
RAPM Focus is a podcast from BMJ Group that explores research published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine (RAPM). Each episode features authors and editorial board members, including Editor-in-Chief Dr. Brian Sites, discussing findings that matter for clinicians, patients, and policymakers. Topics cover acute, perioperative, transitional, and chronic pain medicine. The podcast aims to educate and inform, while clarifying that its content is not medical advice.
Episodes
Episode 56: National patterns and variation in regional anesthesia use for shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle arthroplasty
Although regional anesthesia (RA) has been associated with improved pain control, reduced opioid consumption, and faster recovery following arthroplasty, disparities in its utilization have been identified, with limited data available for shoulder and ankle procedures. In this episode of RAPM Focus, Associate Editor Nabil Elkassabany, MD, guest hosts a discussion with authors Monica Harbell, MD, a
Episode 55: Regional Anesthesia for Distal Radius Fracture Repair: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study of Perioperative Outcomes and Postoperative Healthcare Utilization
Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, explores the use of regional anesthesia for distal radius fracture repair with Edward Yap, MD, and David Zeltser, MD, based on the results of their multicenter retrospective cohort study. Their discussion follows the June 2026 publication of their original research paper, “Regional Anesthesia for Distal Radius Fracture Repair: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Stu
Episode 54: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist use and risk of arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis: retrospective database analysis
Knee osteoarthritis is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability, with limited disease modifying therapies—yet glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists may reduce progression to total knee arthroplasty. In this episode of RAPM Focus, Executive Editor Anahi Perlas, MD, FRCPC, explores whether or not GLP-1 receptor agonists may reduce the risk of arthroplasty for total knee osteoarthritis with
Episode 53: Analgesic efficacy of the ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block for ambulatory hip arthroscopy: a randomized controlled double-blind trial
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, discusses the optimal analgesic approach for reducing postoperative pain following ambulatory hip arthroscopy with Laura Girón Arango, MD, Joanne Tan, MBBS (Hons), FRACP, and Sinéad Campbell, MB, BCh, BAO, FCAI. Their conversation follows the March 2026 publication of their original research paper, “Analgesic efficacy of the ultrasoun
Episode 52: Impact of removing liposomal bupivacaine from a health system formulary on length of stay: an observational study in video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Raj Gupta, MD, FASRA, hosts a critical conversation with RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, on the intersection of patient care and surgical recovery in healthcare economics, following the December 2025 publication of Dr. Sites’s research letter, “Impact of removing liposomal bupivacaine from a health system formulary on length of stay: an observational study in v
Episode 51: Utilization and opioid outcomes of a transitional pain service in high-risk surgical veterans: a cohort study
In this episode of RAPM Focus, RAPM’s Social Media Editor, Alopi Patel, MD, engages with author and RAPM Associate Editor Dr. Sesh Mudumbai, MD, MS, and Oluwatobi Hunter, DNP, RN-BC, AGACNP-BC, following the December 2025 publication of their original research paper, “Utilization and opioid outcomes of a transitional pain service in high-risk surgical veterans: a cohort study.”
Dr. Sesh Mudumbai i
Episode 50: Pro–con debate on perioperative gabapentinoids: a nuanced approach is the best one
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor in Chief Brian Sites, MD, discusses the pros and cons of perioperative gabapentinoids with author and RAPM Executive Editor Eric Schwenk, MD, and Kishor Gandhi, MD, following the November 2025 publication of his brief technical report, “Pro-con debate on perioperative gabapentinoids: a nuanced approach is the best one.”
Dr. Eric Schwenk is a professor of anest
Episode 49: SPACE-Postpartum: a multidomain biopsychosocial framework for predicting chronic pain and impaired recovery after cesarean delivery – proof-of-concept report
This episode of RAPM Focus challenges physicians to think differently about pain after cesarean delivery by showcasing a new approach for patient care after cesarean delivery. RAPM Executive Editor Eric Schwenk, MD, explores the SPACE-postpartum model with Sarah Ciechanowicz, BMBCh, FRCA, following the October 2025 publication of her brief technical report, “SPACE-Postpartum: a multidomain biopsyc
Episode 48: Long-term outcomes of amputation in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS): a mixed-methods study
The management of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) continues to challenge clinicians—especially when conservative and interventional strategies fall short. This episode of RAPM Focus, hosted by RAPM Editor and Social Media Editor Ryan D’Souza, MD, explores these challenges in managing CRPS with Daniël van der Spek, MD, and Frank Huygen, MD, PhD, FIPP, FFPMCAI, following the August 2025 public
Episode 47: Outpatient continuous adductor canal block (CACB) for total knee arthroplasty: a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial
Kick off 2026 with the January episode of RAPM Focus, where RAPM Social Media Editor Alopi Patel, MD, converses with Josh Gleicher, MD, MSc, FRCPC, and Hermann dos Santos Fernandes, MD, PhD, following the September 2025 publication of their original research paper, “Outpatient continuous adductor canal block (CACB) for total knee arthroplasty: a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial.”
Episode 46: Postsurgical opioid prescribing among veterans using community care for orthopedic surgery at non-VA hospitals compared to a VA hospital with a transitional pain service
The 2025 year draws to a close with the December episode of RAPM Focus, where RAPM Social Media Editor Alopi Patel, MD, converses with Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, and Michael “Jay” Buys, MD, following the April 2024 publication of their original research paper, “Postsurgical opioid prescribing among veterans using community care for orthopedic surgery at non-VA hospitals compared to a VA hospital
Episode 45: Post-Surgical Medication, Awareness, Recovery, and Tracking Using a Phone-Based App
In the November 2025 episode of RAPM Focus, ASRA Pain Medicine Past-President and RAPM Editor David Provenzano, MD, converses with Megan Rolfzen, MD, and Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, MBA, following the July 2025 publication of their original research article, “Post-Surgical Medication, Awareness, Recovery, and Tracking Using a Phone-Based App (SMART-APP): A Randomized Controlled Trial.”
In their clin
Episode 44: Regional Anesthesiology Fellowships & Their Significance
In this unique episode of RAPM Focus, Editor in Chief Dr. Brian Sites’s fellow, Dr. Meredith Peck, discusses regional anesthesia fellowships with Dr. Giselle Maquoit.
Fellowship applications have seen an obvious decline over the past several years due to an extremely lucrative job market. However, regional anesthesia fellowships still offer invaluable experiences for regional anesthesiologists.
Me
Episode 43: Developing a method for ultrasound estimation of gastric volume in patients with previous gastric sleeve
Gastric ultrasound can be so important in assessing aspiration risk in any number of patients preoperatively, and POCUS can be an incredibly valuable tool in this circumstance. In this episode of RAPM Focus, RAPM social media editor, Alopi Patel, MD, converses with Jacob Wrobel, MD, and Alexander Doyal, MD, MPH, FASA, following the June 2025 publication of “Developing a method for ultrasound estim
Episode 42: Mepivacaine versus bupivacaine spinal anesthesia for return of motor function following total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial
In the era of fast-tracked surgery and same-day discharge, anesthesiologists are looking for strategies to optimize recovery without compromising safety or pain control. A long-standing debate centers around whether low-dose bupivacaine or mepivacaine is the better spinal agent to promote early ambulation after total knee arthroplasty. In this episode of RAPM Focus, RAPM Editor-in-Chief, Brian Sit
Episode 41: Buprenorphine versus full agonist opioids for acute postoperative pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, discusses the use of buprenorphine for acute pain management with Thomas Hickey, MD, MS, following the February 2025 publication of “Buprenorphine versus full agonist opioids for acute postoperative pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.”
Dr. Hickey is full-time staff at the West Haven
Episode 40: Hidden Influence? Unmasking Conflicts of Interest from Randomized Clinical Trials on Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, speaks with RAPM Editor Ryan D’Souza, MD, and Nasir Hussain, MD, following the October 2024 publication of “Hidden Influence? Unmasking Conflicts of Interest from Randomized Clinical Trials on Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain.”
Let’s set the stage first. Spinal cord stimulation, or SCS, is a therapy that involves implanting a
Episode 39: Beyond the block: a canvas for well-being and conversation in anesthesiology and pain medicine
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Alopi Patel, MD, speaks with K. Elliott Higgins III, MD, and Courtney Burns, MD, about their powerful pain palette essay, “Beyond the block: a canvas for well-being and conversation in anesthesiology and pain medicine.” This essay accompanies Healing Emotional Wounds—a community-engaged art piece by medical and scientific illustrator Morgan Granzow.
Dr. Higgins is
Episode 38: Current state of the pain medicine match: perspective and an eye to the future
In this episode of RAPM Focus, executive editor Steven Cohen, MD, discusses the September 2024 publication of “Current state of the pain medicine match: perspective and an eye to the future,” with Meredith Barad, MD, Anuj Aggarwal, MD, and Lynn Kohan, MD.
This letter explores the rationale behind reassessing the NRMP’s utility for pain medicine, examining historical and current trends, and conside
Episode 37: Single-bolus Injection of Local Anesthetic, With or Without Continuous Infusion, for Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block in the Setting of Multimodal Analgesia
This AI-generated episode of RAPM Focus discusses the May 2024 publication of “Single-bolus Injection of Local Anesthetic, With or Without Continuous Infusion, for Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block in the Setting of Multimodal Analgesia: A Randomized Controlled Unblinded Trial” by Dr. Patrick Rhyner et al.”
For anyone facing shoulder surgery, pain management after the procedure is crucial. In thi
Episode 36: Risk Factors for Persistent Postoperative Opioid Use: An Entity Distinct from Chronic Postsurgical Pain
Hosted by RAPM Editor Eric Schwenk, MD, this episode of RAPM Focus welcomes RAPM Associate Editor Mark Bicket, MD, PhD, and medical student Sama Ramo following the recent publication of their original research paper, “Risk Factors for Persistent Postoperative Opioid Use: An Entity Distinct from Chronic Postsurgical Pain,” included in the February 2025 special edition of RAPM, titled “Tackling the
Episode 35: Nomenclature in Regional Anesthesia
This episode of RAPM Focus introduces something new—an episode generated completely by artificial intelligence, specifically Google Notebook. As part of RAPM’s commitment to exploring innovative ways to deliver content, RAPM is trialing this approach and would love to hear your feedback.
This AI-generated episode is centered around an original research paper first published in RAPM in November 202
Episode 34: Episode 34: Multisite prospective study of perioperative pain management practices for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescents
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, is thrilled to welcome Kesavan Sadacharam, MD, and Allison Fernandez, MD, following the April 2024 publication of their original research paper, “Multisite prospective study of perioperative pain management practices for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescents: Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Improvement Network (SPA
Episode 33: Use of natural language processing method to identify regional anesthesia from clinical notes
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, is thrilled to welcome Laura Graham, PhD, MPH, and Sesh Mudumbai, MD, MS, following the April 2024 publication of their brief technical report, “Use of natural language processing method to identify regional anesthesia from clinical notes.”
One definition of medicine is the science and practice of the diagnosis treatment in prevention
Episode 32: “IDEA Lab—creative ways to promote scholastic endeavors in the contemporary health system”
In this special episode, RAPM Focus takes a break from its usual format of discussing specific research projects to discuss instead how research in health care is increasingly vital yet often hindered by escalating costs and time constraints. Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, discusses these challenges with Alexander (Xan) Abess, MD, and Jonathan Weed, MD.
Traditional, large scale, randomized contr
Episode 31: Anesthesia Start Time Documentation Accuracy where Peripheral Nerve Block is the Primary Anesthetic
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, is delighted to be joined by Alexander Stone, MD, and Kamen Vlassakov, MD, following the April 2024 publication of their original research paper, “Anesthesia Start Time Documentation Accuracy where Peripheral Nerve Block is the Primary Anesthetic.”
Understanding the intricacies of billing is crucial for anesthesiologists in all practi
Episode 30: Methodological and statistical characteristics of meta-analyses on spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain: a systematic review
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, is delighted to be joined by Ryan D’Souza, MD, and Nasir Hussain, MD, following the February 2024 publication of their review, “Methodological and Statistical Characteristics of Meta-Analyses on Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review.” Both of these anesthesiologists are prolific in their research and contributi
Article Reads Episode 1
In RAPM Focus’s latest podcast series, Article Reads, Alopi Patel, MD, narrates “Artificial intelligence and regional anesthesiology education curriculum development: navigating the digital noise” by Kristopher M Schroeder and Nabil Elkassabany. Originally published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine in June 2024, this daring discourse is now available in podcast format for an all new RAPM
Episode 29: Best Practice Advisories and Policies with Systematic Reviews
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, sits down with Michael Barrington, MD, to discuss best practice advisories and policies with systematic reviews.
Best practice advisories and policies tend to stem from the results of systematic reviews and metanalysis, thus the stakes are very high for a journal to ensure that the results are meaningful and valid. As part of a RAPM i
Episode 28: Challenges within the Scientific Publishing Landscape
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Associate Editor Ed Mariano, MD, MAS, FASA substitutes for Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, to discuss the diverse publishing landscapes in the scientific field with Executive Editor Ruth Landau, MD.
Dr. Mariano is a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Landau is the Virginia Apgar professor and the Chief of Obstetric Anesthesiology at Columbia Un
Episode 27: Crystallization of mixtures of local anesthetics with and without select adjuvants: a semiquantitative light microscopy analysis
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Dr. Brian Sites is delighted to support the work of Dr. Ottokar Stundner, MD, and colleagues by discussing the use of liposomal bupivacaine trends following the March 2024 publication of “Crystallization of mixtures of local anesthetics with and without select adjuvants: a semiquantitative light microscopy analysis.”
Dr. Studener completed his anesthesia residency in
Episode 26: Perioperative considerations for patients exposed to hallucinogens
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Dr. Brian Sites discusses the perioperative use of hallucinogens with Trent Emerick, MD, MBA, following the February 2023 publication of Dr. Emerick’s paper, “Perioperative considerations for patients exposed to hallucinogens.”
Dr. Trent Emerick is currently an associate professor in the departments of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine and bioengineering at t
Episode 25: Evaluating residual anti-Xa levels following discontinuation of treatment-dose enoxaparin in patients presenting for elective surgery: a prospective observational trial
In this episode of RAPM Focus, Dr. Brian Sites sits down with Daryl Henshaw, MD, and Christopher Edwards, MD, to discuss “Evaluating residual anti-Xa levels following discontinuation of treatment-dose enoxaparin in patients presenting for elective surgery: a prospective observational trial,” first published in June 2023.
Dr. Daryl Henshaw completed his medical school residency in regional anesthes
Message from RAPM Editor–In–Chief, by Brian D. SITES
In this podcast episode, RAPM Editor-In-Chief Brian D. Sites discusses the massive growth opportunities in the exciting future of pain medicine. Sites highlights the importance that “anesthesiologists help define the value of medical interventions that we offer for pain management.”
As RAPM begins to receive more submissions relating to costs, Dr. Sites stresses how critical it is to understand ho
Episode 24: Incidence of persistent opioid use following traumatic injury
Data describing the relationship between specific traumatic injuries and opioid use is lacking, which is why RAPM is so delighted to support the work of Matthew Mauck, MD, PhD, and colleagues. In this episode of RAPM Focus, RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, discusses “Incidence of persistent opioid use following traumatic injury with Dr. Mauck, first published in June 2023.
Dr. Mauck is an ass
Episode 23: Real-world study of intranasal ketamine for use in patients with refractory chronic migraine
RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins Hsiangkuo Yua, MD, PhD, and Aniket Natekar, MD, two
coauthors of “Real-world study of intranasal ketamine for use in patients with refractory chronic
migraine,” first published in May 2023.
Dr. Hsiangkuo Yuan received his medical degree from National Yang-Ming University in Taipei, Taiwan,
and a PhD in biomedical engineering at Duke University. He joined
Episode 22: Rate of occurrence of respiratory complications in patients who undergo shoulder arthroplasty with a continuous interscalene brachial plexus block and associated risk factors.
RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins Lei Xu, MD, and Ed Mariano, MD, MAS, FASA, FASRA, two
coauthors of “Rate of occurrence of respiratory complications in patients who undergo shoulder
arthroplasty with a continuous interscalene brachial plexus block and associated risk factors,” first
published in May 2023.
Dr. Xu is a clinical assistant professor in the department of anesthesiology at St
Episode 21: Randomized clinical trial comparing pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block and periarticular local anesthetic infiltration for total hip arthroplasty
RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins Daniela Bravo, MD, and Julián Aliste, MD, two co-authors of “Randomized clinical trial comparing pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block and periarticular local anesthetic infiltration for total hip artholasty,” first published in February 2023. In this episode, they discuss the explosion of fascia PENG blocks in the past decade.
Dr. Bravo is an assistant
Episode 20: Violence in the pain clinic: the hidden pandemic
RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins Mercy A Udoji, MD, CMQ, FASA and Sudheer Potru, DO, FASA, FASAM, two coauthors of “Violence in the pain clinic: the hidden pandemic,” first published in August 2023 rapm-august 2023.pdf. Dr. Udoji is an associate professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Potru is a triple-board-certified anesthesiologist,
Episode 19: Hospital-Level Variability in Regional Nerve Block Administration by Race for Total Knee Arthroplasty
RAPM Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins Anjali A. Dixi, MD, the senior author of “Hospital-level variability in regional nerve block administration by race for total knee arthroplasty,” first published in December 2022 (https://rapm.bmj.com/content/early/2022/12/13/rapm-2022-104028). Dr. Dixi is from the Stanford University School of Medicine, in Stanford, CA.
Episode 18: ASRA Pain Medicine Guidelines on the Management of the Perioperative Patient on Cannabis
The political, professional, and cultural implications of using cannabinoids remain controversial despite its increased prevalence over the last 20 years. The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine established a working group in November 2020 to review the evidence and knowledge gaps around cannabis use in the perioperative period and develop clinical recommendations for the man
Episode 17: Impact of COVID-19 on Opioid Overdose and Other Adverse Events in the USA and Canada
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was especially challenging for vulnerable populations, such as
those with chronic long-term health conditions, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders.
Lockdowns and fear of spread led to barriers for patients whether they were accessing methadone
through opioid treatment programs or being prescribed buprenorphine.
A systematic review first publis
Episode 16: Daring Discourse, Spinal Anesthesia vs General Anesthesia for Hip Fracture Patients
In November of 2021, the Regional versus General Anesthesia for Promoting Independence after Hip Fracture (REGAIN) trial was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study was a pragmatic randomized superiority trial to evaluate spinal anesthesia as compared with general anesthesia in 1,600 patients. The authors concluded that “spinal anesthesia for hip fracture surgery in older adul
Episode 15: Anterior QL Block Does Not Reduce Opioid Consumption After Laparoscopic Hemicolectomy
Proponents of fascial plane blocks argue that their value can be found in opioid reduction and improvement of pain scores. On the other hand, critics argue that the effect size tends to be very small, amounting to a placebo. To address these conflicting ideas, a recent study examined the role of quadratus blocks and analgesia for laparoscopic hemicolectomy. In this month’s RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Ch
Episode 14: Guidelines on Interventions for Cervical Spine (Facet) Pain from a Multispecialty Group
Guidelines hold great importance in pain medicine. With many interventional procedures, there is some evidence for efficacy, but wide variation in study results due to differences in technique, interpretation, and implementation. In this month’s RAPM Focus, Executive Editor Chad Brummett, MD, joins Steven Cohen, MD, the senior author of “Consensus practice guidelines on interventions for cervical
Episode 13: Lumbar Medial Branch Blocks: How Does The Second Block Influence Progression?
For interventional procedures that involve implanting devices or ablating tissues, it is common for patients to undergo prognostic tests to determine if they are responders prior to moving on to permanent procedures. However, definitions of responders and the number of prognostic tests necessary has caused some confusion. In this month’s RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins David Pro
Episode 12: Association of Perioperative Anxiety and Postoperative Opioid-Related Outcomes
The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as: “An unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.”
Among many other variables, mental health conditions play a critical role in determining the emotional experience. Thus, it is very reasonable to hypothesize that baseline anxiety, for instance,
Episode 11: Effects of Hypnosis on Postoperative Opioid Use After Total Knee Arthroplasty
The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as: “An unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. Pain is both a disease and a symptom.” The inclusion of the word emotional in the definition alludes to the fact that consciousness is part of the pain pathway. Despite the knowledge that neurocog
Episode 10: Quality of Meta-Analyses of Perioperative Interventions for Chronic Postsurgical Pain
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are the main drivers of policy, evidence-based guidelines, and funding decisions, but many of them are fraught with errors, and the resources needed to peer-review
them are massive. A recent systematic review examined the quality of the current published meta-analyses in order to inform the design and reporting of future studies. In this month’s RAPM Focus,
Edi
Episode 9: Role of Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia in Enhanced Recovery After Colorectal Surgery
In surgical care worldwide, there has been a growing trend towards enhanced recovery with the emphasis on early mobility, avoidance of unnecessary procedures and drug-induced side effects, and
faster return of normal gastrointestinal function, with the end result of shorter hospital stay. It’s natural to assume that regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine would play a central role in enhan
Episode 8: Postoperative Lidocaine Infusion Safety on Wards Without Continuous Cardiac Monitoring
Establishing new clinical pathways and accomplishing change often takes a super-human effort in a complex health system. In terms of systemic lidocaine, the analgesic effects of systemic lidocaine are well recognized, but what is novel is the application of this therapy in an environment once thought to be inappropriate, that is, in the general inpatient units. In this month’s RAPM Focus, Editor-i
Episode 7: Language Analysis: A Comparison to Traditional Meta-Analysis in Hip and Knee Surgery
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are incredibly important; they drive clinical practice, policy, and reimbursement, but unfortunately, take a team of people and a significant amount of time. In this month’s RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, joins Joshua Myszewski and Kristopher Schroder, MD, to discuss their exploratory study, “Evaluation of language analysis to summarize the litera
Episode 6: Neuraxial & General Anesthesia for TJA Show Similar Rates of Perioperative Complications
The impact of the type of anesthesia on perioperative outcomes has been the subject of much debate. Observational data suggests that neuraxial anesthesia may provide benefits over general anesthesia, especially in the orthopedic population; however, it remains unclear if these benefits can be materialized in all subpopulations. In this month’s RAPM Focus, Executive Editor Stavros Memtsoudis, MD, P
Episode 5: Buprenorphine Management in the Perioperative Period: Review and Recommendations
Buprenorphine is an incredibly safe and effective drug as both an analgesic as well as a front-line therapy for the treatment of an opioid use disorder (OUD). However, decisions around the management of this drug in the perioperative period have generated substantial confusion and anxiety amongst patients, policymakers, and healthcare providers. In this month’s “RAPM Focus,” Editor-in-Chief Brian
Episode 4: Recent Cannabis Use and Nightly Sleep Duration in Adults
There is much political, professional, and cultural debate around the impact that cannabinoids, good or bad, have on health and wellbeing. This month’s “RAPM Focus,” evaluates the relationship between cannabis use and sleep patterns among adult Americans. Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, interviews authors Calvin Diep, MD, and Karim Ladha, MD, on the paper “Recent cannabis use and nightly sleep du
Episode 3: Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis of the LFCN for Analgesia Following Skin Grafting.
This month’s “RAPM Focus” highlights a small study conducted by a team out of the University of California San Diego, designed to determine if percutaneous cryoneurolysis of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is feasible and shows potential for future study in management of burn patients. Dr. John J. Finneran is the first author of “Percutaneous cryoneurolysis of the lateral femoral cutaneous ner
Episode 2: Reviving the medical lecture: practical tips for delivering effective lectures
This month’s “RAPM Focus” looks at evidence-based practices to improve the creation and delivery of medical education lectures. Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, interviews Monica W. Harbell, MD, first author of the paper “Reviving the medical lecture: practical tips for delivering effective lectures,” published in the March 2022 issue of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine (https://rapm.bmj.co
First episode: Factors associated with treatment outcomes for low back pain injections
In the first episode of RAPM Focus, Editor-in-Chief Brian Sites, MD, interviews Stephen P. Cohen, MD, first author of the paper “Multicenter study evaluating factors associated with treatment outcome for low back pain injections”. This prospective study looked at 346 patients receiving one of three procedures: epidural steroid injection for sciatica, sacroiliac joint injections for axial low back
