Our Approach to Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine
Montefiore Einstein Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (RAPM) provides comprehensive preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative pain management for patients using a combination of regional anesthesia techniques and a variety of different therapies for balanced analgesia. To address postsurgical pain, we partner with each surgical team and patient to design a personalized plan to safely prevent or minimize discomfort. Through continuous care and monitoring during and after each procedure, we ensure optimal pain control with regular follow-ups to adjust each patient’s treatment plan as needed. We provide the latest anesthetic techniques utilizing multimodal analgesia and other strategies that allow patients to recover faster after surgery. Those strategies include early mobilization after surgery, minimal opioid use, and regional anesthesia to allow patients to recover safely and return home sooner after surgery. Our regional anesthesiologists and acute pain specialists perform more than 7,000 regional anesthesia procedures and provide inpatient care to more than 2,000 patients annually. For major thoracic and upper abdominal surgery, we offer thoracic epidural anesthesia, a technique that reduces pain, improves recovery of bowel function, enables early mobilization therapy and encourages early hospital discharge.
Clinical Excellence
All members of the Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine team are experts in providing multimodal analgesia including ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia techniques using state-of-the-art technology. We specialize in performing peripheral nerve blocks and neuraxial anesthesia (spinal and epidural anesthesia) with single-injection or continuous catheter techniques, as well as intravenous regional anesthesia. Our multidisciplinary team works closely with orthopedic and other surgical specialists to deliver comprehensive and personalized care that ensures the best outcome for each patient. Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine is also an integral part of our Center for Joint Replacement Surgery, which received advanced certification for total hip and total knee replacement from the Joint Commission.
Conditions We Treat
Our team treats a wide range of surgical and nonsurgical acute pain conditions, including the following.
- Surgery or interventional procedures (such as orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, transplantation surgery, plastic surgery and general surgery)
- Postoperative pain
- Trauma-related pain
- Pain during childbirth
- Pain from cancer or other chronic conditions requiring acute pain intervention
- Acute back pain
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and other neuropathic pain disorders
Advanced Treatments
We offer a wide range of specialized services, including nerve blocks, epidurals and multimodal pain management strategies, using the latest techniques and technologies. Whether you are undergoing surgery, experiencing an acute episode of underlying chronic pain, or seeking consultation while in the hospital, our goal is to provide personalized care that addresses both your immediate and long-term needs.
Our department combines leading-edge techniques with evidence-based practices to tailor individualized pain management plans for each patient. Our services include:
- Multimodal analgesia: using a combination of medications and techniques to reduce pain while minimizing side effects
- Postoperative pain control: offering continuous or intermittent nerve blocks, epidural analgesia, or systemic medications for pain relief following surgery
- Non-opioid pain relief: incorporating non-opioid treatments, such as local anesthetics and anti-inflammatory medications, to minimize the need for opioids
- Thoracic epidural analgesia
- Peripheral nerve block catheter analgesia
Research & Clinical Trials
Our team actively contributes to international and national conferences and regularly publishes research findings in peer-reviewed journals. Our regional anesthesiologists are renowned for clinical research that helps to improve patient experiences and health outcomes.
Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Education and Training
Our department is a nationally recognized leader in regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine education for both residents and fellows. We are home to one of the most recognized academic pain practices and fellowship programs in the country. Our Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship was among the first ACGME-accredited programs in the nation.
Our residency and fellowship programs provide comprehensive exposure to a broad diversity of patients and the latest multimodal analgesia and regional anesthesia techniques in a collegial learning environment. Residents and fellows are involved in all aspects of perioperative patient care and learn to tailor pain management strategies to meet the specific needs of patients recovering from major surgeries, trauma, or complex medical conditions such as cancer, neurological disorders and musculoskeletal injuries.
Your Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine Team
Elilary Montilla Medrano, MD
The Montefiore Einstein Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine team includes fellowship-trained anesthesiologists who collaborate closely with surgical specialists to provide comprehensive and personalized multimodal perioperative pain management plans. Our specialists use the latest interventional and noninterventional techniques to optimize pain control, enhance patient safety and provide the highest quality patient-centered care for each individual.
