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Pain management is evolving, but some of the most meaningful improvements come from looking more closely at tools we already use. At NYSORA events, industry spotlight sessions focus on practical insights that help clinicians make better-informed decisions in real-world practice. In this session, Teresa Human, PharmD, PhD, shared a clinician’s perspective on NSAIDs – explaining why not all agents are the same and where IV ibuprofen fits into perioperative pain management today. From the Neuro ICU to Industry: A Clinician’s Perspective Teresa Human spent nearly 25 years working in high-acuity Neuro ICUs at the University of Virginia and Washington University / Barnes–Jewish Hospital. After COVID, like many clinicians, she transitioned into industry and is now a Medical Science Liaison at Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, a Nashville-based pharmaceutical company founded in 1999. What surprised her most in this new role was not the data – but how few clinicians were familiar with it. Caldolor has been approved since 2009 and is widely used, yet its role in modern, opioid-sparing perioperative care remains underrecognized. Her goal for this session was simple: clarify where IV ibuprofen fits, how it differs from other NSAIDs, and why it matters for pain, safety, and cost. Not All NSAIDs Are the Same One of the core messages of the talk was that NSAIDs are not interchangeable, and their COX-1 / COX-2 profiles matter. COX-1 inhibition is associated with higher risk of bleeding, renal injury, and GI side effects. COX-2 selectivity carries increased cardiovascular risk – one reason earlier COX-2–selective drugs were withdrawn from the market. On this spectrum, ketorolac and ibuprofen sit very differently: Ketorolac is roughly 300 times more potent at COX-1 inhibition than ibuprofen. This explains why ketorolac is limited to short courses, has strict dosing caps, and was withdrawn from the EU due to safety concerns. […]
December 18, 2025
At NYSORA events, conversations around pain management are evolving. Clinicians are increasingly focused on one shared goal: how to improve recovery while reducing reliance on opioids, especially in complex surgical populations. One of the most impactful industry spotlight sessions at a recent NYSORA event addressed exactly this challenge – postoperative pain management in cardiac and thoracic surgery, with a strong focus on multimodal, non-opioid strategies. From the Bedside to Innovation Drawing on years of perioperative clinical experience, Jennifer Wright – a physician assistant with extensive exposure to cardiac and thoracic surgical patients – shared insights gained from firsthand experience caring for patients before, during, and after major surgery. After transitioning into the medical industry, their focus remained clear: how to better manage surgical pain without defaulting to prolonged opioid use. This session centered on understanding where postoperative pain truly comes from – and how teams can work together to address it more effectively. Understanding the Sources of Pain Thoracic Surgery Thoracic procedures range from open thoracotomy to minimally invasive approaches such as VATS (Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery) and RATS (Robot-Assisted Thoracic Surgery). While minimally invasive techniques reduce tissue trauma, they are not pain-free. Key contributors include: Multiple small port-site incisions (typically 8–12 mm) A larger, heavily manipulated “dynamic port” Intercostal nerve injury, especially during robotic procedures where tactile feedback is reduced The takeaway: even minimally invasive thoracic surgery can cause significant incisional and nerve-related pain. Cardiac Surgery Despite advances in closure techniques, sternotomy remains highly painful. CABG patients, in particular, experience greater tissue manipulation, pleural involvement, and inflammation – often resulting in more severe and prolonged postoperative pain compared to valve procedures. The Postoperative Reality For many cardiac and thoracic patients, pain does not resolve quickly. Symptoms may persist for three to four weeks or longer, and in some cases progress […]
December 16, 2025
Every year, regional anesthesia evolves just a little faster. New needles appear. Catheters get smarter. Ultrasound tools feel more intuitive. And somewhere between case setups, nerve mapping, and pre-op huddles, clinicians notice which companies are truly pushing the field forward. This year, NYSORA went straight to the source – the clinicians – to find out one thing: Who is actually driving innovation in regional anesthesia today? We opened the vote. The global RA community showed up. And two names consistently rose to the top. PAJUNK and B. Braun. Not because of flashy marketing or legacy reputation. But because, when clinicians pick up their tools, these companies have earned their trust. How the Community Chose the Winners Thousands of anesthesiologists, RA faculty, pain specialists, fellows, residents, nurses, and ultrasound lovers cast their votes across categories that truly define innovation: Innovation and technical advancement Reliability when it counts Ergonomics and clinical usability Customer and clinical support Contribution to education Value Sustainability and logistics What emerged was a remarkably consistent theme: Innovation is no longer about complexity, it’s about solutions that make clinicians faster, safer, and more confident in high-stakes moments. PAJUNK and B. Braun represent that evolution. PAJUNK: The Subtle Revolution Talk to any RA clinician who uses PAJUNK regularly and they’ll tell you the same thing: “It just works the way my hands think.” The brand has built a quiet revolution through design, needles that feel precise without being fragile, catheters that behave predictably, equipment that earns its spot on the tray. PAJUNK didn’t set out to reinvent regional anesthesia; they set out to refine it. And the community noticed. Celebrate Award-Winning Innovation with a free sample from PAJUNK! PAJUNK is proud to be recognized with the NYSORA Innovation Award, honoring our ongoing commitment to advancing Regional Anesthesia. To celebrate, we’re […]
December 15, 2025
