Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine

Faculty of Medicine

Research Strengths

Researchers in Anesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine are improving patient safety, outcomes and quality of life through research in anesthesia, post-operative care, critical care and a variety of pain conditions. As a department, we are recognized nationally and internationally for our work in three main areas: pain, airway and device innovation.

Pain research

Pain research attracts the most significant amount of research funding and attention to our department. Research efforts in this area range from studying the care of children’s pain in developing countries to harnessing the power of cannabinoids to treat chronic pain.

We are exploring:

  • the use of cannabinoids to treat chronic pain
  • possible links between surgery, chronic pain and addiction
  • women’s risk of chronic pain
  • safe and superior pain-blocking techniques
  • the connection between inflammation, joint damage and pain
  • children’s pain before, during and after surgery
  • the diagnosis and care of children’s pain in developing countries

Airway

Our airway research focuses on establishing and testing the safest techniques and procedures for managing the airway in a range of environments and scenarios, along with developing new airway management devices.

Our work includes:

  • development of the next generation of Lightwand
  • clinical trials of Lightwand intubation
  • studies of awake tracheal intubations
  • clinical trials of Glidescope-assisted intubations

Device innovation

Anesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine has a long history of supporting medical device development and commercialization. We work closely with Dalhousie’s School of Biomedical Engineering on these innovative projects.

We are currently developing:

  • devices to improve intravenous medication delivery
  • the next generation of Lightwand
  • new technologies that protect the brain and other organs during general anesthesia