Exposure to opiates is largely unavoidable after major surgery, whether that be knee surgery, hip replacement, or heart valve replacement. Leading anesthesiologist and Director of Pain Services at Toronto General Hospital (TGH), Dr.Hance Clarke, takes us on a behind the scenes patient journey from the surgical incision at the operating room to recovery and the pitfalls in between. With a colleague at TGH, Dr.Clarke shares his work pioneering the Transitional Pain Service is a world-leading pain program breaking the cycle of pain, opioid use, with a multimodal, multidisciplinary care model. We also hear about his candid thoughts on the role of medical cannabis for pain management, and a national study Dr.Clarke is leading with Shoppers Drug Mart.
Dr.Hance Clarke MD, FRCPC, PhD
Associate Professor, Anesthesia, University of Toronto
Dr. Clarke is an anesthesiologist and the director of Pain Services and the medical director of the Pain Research Unit at the University Health Network's Toronto General Hospital. He is appointed to the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto and is a graduate of the Royal College Clinician Scientist Program. His research interests include identifying novel acute pain treatments following major surgery, identifying the factors involved in the transition of acute postsurgical pain to chronic pain, studying the genetics of acute and chronic pain after surgery, and identifying risk factors associated with continued opioid use and poor health related quality of life after major surgery as well as the efficacy of hyperbaric medicine. Over the past five years he has authored over 50 peer reviewed manuscripts.
Recent published Articles and News Media with Dr.Clarke: