Chronic Pain Division | 51�� of Medicine at Stony Brook University

With a reputation as a leading authority on pain management, the Center for Pain Management at Stony Brook University Medical Center has served Long Island since 1982. Our program uses the biopsychosocial model of medicine to treat chronic and acute pain, provide palliative care, and improve the functionality and quality of life of our patients. We work in partnership with area physicians to offer consultations, diagnoses, plans of treatment and multidisciplinary care before returning the patient to his or her primary care doctor.

In 2023, the Stony Brook Center for Pain Management moved to the Advanced Specialty Care Pavilion in Lake Grove at the Smith Haven Mall. It is 51��’s newest and most spacious, multispecialty care facility. Featuring a modern, open-concept layout, occupying approximately 170,000 square feet, our new office more than doubles the square footage of our prior office. The office is equipped with 9 exam rooms, 3 fully functional fluoroscopy suites, and an 8 bay PACU area. The increased space was vital to accommodate our growing clinical practice and to continue to improve the educational experience for our medical students, residents, and fellows.


William Caldwell, DO Assistant Professor Director: Center for Pain Management Chief of the Chronic Pain Division	Amit K. Kaushal, MD Assistant Professor Director: Stony Brook Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
Amruta Desai, DO, MPH, MBA Assistant Professor	Irina Lokshina, MD Assistant Professor

The Center for Pain Management utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach for the treatment of pain. Residents will be exposed to chronic, acute, and subacute pain including cancer, neuropathic, somatic, and visceral pain. Residents will learn to perform an initial assessment of the patient with chronic pain, decide on appropriate diagnostic testing, develop skills in performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and learn the appropriate use of pharmacotherapy. In addition, the resident will develop communication skills that will help develop a professional and therapeutic relationship with chronic pain patients.

There is an in-office fluoroscopy suite for epidural, facet, major joint, peripheral nerve blocks, and sympathetic nerve block procedures. Ultrasound guided injections are also utilized. Residents will also be exposed to traditional spinal cord stimulation, as well as dorsal root ganglion stimulation and other treatment modalities such as Botox and IV infusion therapies.

Trainees will greatly expand their knowledge base, skills, and judgment so that they can recognize and manage complications associated with chronic pain. Residents receive hands on training to give them the skills necessary for their fellowship and future careers.

The CA-2 rotation is a one month rotation. [Pain Rotation Primer]
The three month elective in the CA-3 year is structured as a "mini-fellowship". Residents on the rotation will participate in journal club presentations and receive several core lectures. [CA-3 Mini-Fellowship]

▶ The life of a Resident on the Chronic Pain Rotation ...

Your primary responsibility for this rotation is to learn the basics of chronic pain management in an outpatient setting. This not only includes the physiology of pain, but the pharmacological, interventional, rehabilitative, psychological, and complementary techniques to improve the quality of life of a patient suffering from chronic pain.

The majority of your clinical services will be performed at The Center of Pain Management, located at the Cancer Center (3 Edmund D. Pellegrino Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794). Arrive to the clinic at 8AM and familiarize yourself with the schedule. Introduce yourself to patients that you will be providing care to. Help facilitate the flow of patient care and get ready to help or do the procedures.

The hospital clinic is located at the Urology Office on 24 Technology Drive, East Setauket. Office hours are Monday and Thursday afternoons, from 1PM till 6PM. Residents are offered more independence as patients are often regularly scheduled during shorter duration.

At the first Wednesday of each month, there will be a journal discussion on a recent article related to chronic pain management. You will be expected to choose a relevant topic or short article to discuss using a 15-20 minute PowerPoint format presentation to the pain management staff.

The Pain Center was a sponsor at the CRPS Walk		Article in Newsday quoted Dr. William Caldwell about the diagnosis and treatment of CRPS.
The reception area of the newly opened Center for Pain Management.		A patient treatment room in the newly opened Center for Pain Management.

Resident authors denoted by bold type

Gupta AK, Mena S, Jin Z, Gan TJ, Bergese SD. Postoperative pain: a review of emerging therapeutic options.
Desai A, Dahan A, Gan TJ. Perioperative Opioid Education Initiatives: Do They Add Value?
Palaniappan D, Friedlander D, Desai A. Is it time to reconsider the routine blind insertion of double lumen endobronchial tubes?
Ghaly L, Bargnes V, Rahman S, Tawfik GA, Bergese S, Caldwell W. Interventional Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Rahman S, Kidwai A, Rakhamimova E, Elias M, Caldwell W, Bergese SD. Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Pain.
Wang A, Murphy J, Shteynman L, Daksla N, Gupta A, Bergese S. Novel Opioids in the Setting of Acute Postoperative Pain: A Narrative Review.
Burjek NE, Hafeman M, Guthrie D, Desai A, Jin Z, Brockel M, Moore R. Perioperative use of gabapentinoids in pediatric patients.
Wang A, Kerolus K, Garry E, Li D, Desai A, Bergese S. Novel Techniques and Local Anesthetics for Perioperative Pain Management.
Mena S, Raj A, Caldwell W, Kaushal A. The annoyance of singultus: a case report of a rare adverse effect after epidural steroid injection.
Desai A, Razak A, Ghaly L, Bennici L, Moore R. Opioid-Obviating Analgesia for Adolescent Multilevel Spinal Fusion Surgery: A Problem-Based Learning Discussion.
Kirsch E, Rahman S, Kerolus K, Hasan R, Kowalska DB, Desai A, Bergese SD. Dysmenorrhea, a Narrative Review of Therapeutic Options.
Lee E, Kim J, Rahman S, Daksla N, Caldwell W, Bergese S. Basivertebral Nerve Ablation for Treatment of Lower Back Pain.
Torpey A, Bellow E, Samojedny V, Ahluwalia S, Desai A, Caldwell W, Bergese S. Nanotechnology in Pain Management.
Greenspan S, Torpey A, Desai A. Fellowship or Not, We Are All Pain Physicians.
Xie S, Bindelglass A, Moore RP, Desai A. Erector spinae nerve blocks for use in proximal humeral fractures surgery: Two case reports.
Zimmerman AJ, Mangano N, Park G, Kaushal AK, Bergese SD. Glial Modulator Antibiotics for Neuropathic Pain: Current Insights and Future Directions.

Mena S, Parikh S, Desai A. Neuraxial Analgesia For A Sacral Decubitus Ulcer. PGA 2021
Kang R, Shuaib K, Parikh S, Desai A. Epidural Analgesia For Chemical Pleurodesis. PGA 2021
Mena S, Kang RS, Caldwell W. Spinal Cord Stimulation for Sciatic Pain in Seronegative Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. IARS 2022
Mena S, Kang RS, Caldwell W. Spinal Cord Stimulation for Sciatic Pain in Seronegative Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. ASA 2022
Elias M, Kang RS, Kaushal AK. Treatment of Umbilical Hernia Pain with Ultrasound-guided Abdominal Botox Injections. ASA 2022
Hafeman M, Desai AG, Moore RP. High Thoracic Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) Block for Humeral Osteotomy. ASA 2022
Kozlowski P, Turkiew E, Desai AG, Bennici LA, Moore RP. Opioid Free Thoracolumbar Fusion in a Pediatric Patient with a Polysubstance Abuse History. ASA 2022
Ghaly L, Zimmerman A, Kaushal A. The use of stellate ganglion block for post- covid-19 pleuritic chest pain. ASRA 2023
Rahman S, Desai A, Moore R. Erector spinae plane block for cancer related brachial plexus pain - A new role for regional anesthesia in NORA? ASRA 2023
Rahman S, Desai A, Moore R. Erector spinae block for NORA to treat selective brachial plexus pain in patient with metastatic lung cancer. PGA 2023
Greenspan S, Gordon J, Oo J, Caldwell W. Combined Basivertebral Nerve Ablation and Interspinous Spacer Implants Provides Effective Long-term Pain Relief in a Patient with Severe Low Back and Leg Pain. ASA 2024
Mangano N, De La Hoz M, Oo J, Caldwell W. Basivertebral Nerve Ablation and Spinal Cord Stimulation for Successful Management of Lower Back and Radicular Leg Pain Refractory to Spinal Fusion Surgery. ASA 2024
Zimmerman AJ, Oo J, Chikvashvii D, Caldwell W. Combined Basivertebral Nerve Ablation and Interspinous Spacer Implants Provides Effective Long-Term Pain Relief for Severe Radicular Low Back Pain: A Case Report. NY NJ Pain Medicine Congress 2024
Zimmerman AJ, Kordic N, Cohen E, Caldwell W. Combined Basivertebral Nerve Ablation and Spinal Cord Stimulation Provides Effective Long-Term Pain Relief in Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: A Case Report. NY NJ Pain Medicine Congress 2024
Zimmerman AJ, Zektser K, Cohen E, Caldwell W. Inability to Wear Sandals and Heels: A Rare Case and Treatment for Dorsal Medial Foot Pain. NY NJ Pain Medicine Congress 2024
Rahman S, Rismany J, Caldwell W. Basivertebral Nerve Ablation as An Effective Treatment for Chronic Lower Back Pain after Spinal Fusion Surgery for Scoliosis. NY NJ Pain Medicine Congress 2024
Rahman S, Bhimavarapu A, Desai A. Management of Chronic Pain associated with Small Fiber Neuropathy Secondary to SARS-CoV-2. ASA 2024
Rahman S, Bhimavarapu A, Desai A. Management of Chronic Pain associated with Small Fiber Neuropathy Secondary to SARS-CoV-2. PGA 2024
Charkowick S, Weng A, Bargnes V, Nada E, Desai A. Don’t Get Caught in the Web: A Multicatheter Approach to Treat Bilateral Rib Fractures in the Setting of a Thoracic Arachnoid Web. ASRA 2025

faculty photos by Jeanne Neville

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