Chronic Pain Division

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 Stony Brook Medicine’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.

Division Members
 

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

Residency Training
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 ...
Recent Division Activity

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.
Recent Publications

Resident authors denoted by bold type

Recent Presentations
  • 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