Study at St. Paul’s Hospital aims to reduce pain for cardiac surgery patients

Dr. Terri Sun, a cardiac anesthesiologist at St. Paul’s Hospital, is investigating a novel tactic to improve acute pain after cardiac surgery, known as a bilateral paravertebral blockade. The research project is funded by the  Carraresi Foundation Early Career Clinician Investigator Award, which supports early-career researchers affiliated with Providence to explore research questions identified early on in their career. Dr. Sun received the award in 2024.

Research focuses on improving quality of recovery after cardiac surgery

Dr. Sun trained in anesthesiology at the University of British Columbia and the University of Washington Medical Center. Her research focuses on improving quality of recovery for cardiac surgery patients, for whom chronic and acute pain can be a significant problem, particularly in the first few days, post-surgery.

She was referred to apply for the Carraresi Foundation Early Career Clinician Investigator Awards by Dr. Alanna Flexman, head of the Anesthesia research department at St. Paul’s Hospital. A colleague of hers, Dr. Janny Ke, had been a recipient in a previous year. 

“That’s how I initially heard that there was this great funding available through Providence Research,” says Dr. Sun. 

Uncovering whether tactic used for breast surgery can be applied to cardiac surgery patients

Her funded project is a randomized control trial to determine if a bilateral paravertebral blockade, a tactic commonly used in breast surgery to minimize pain, is similarly effective after cardiac surgery.

“I thought this was a unique opportunity to investigate if this specific block, done bilaterally, could improve the quality of recovery in our cardiac surgery patients,” says Dr. Sun.

For the blockade, medication is injected into spaces around both sides of the spinal cord, numbing the nerves. This is meant to provide anesthesia coverage equivalent to an epidural, blocking both visceral pain, which is felt in the internal organs, and somatic pain, which is felt in the skin, muscles, joints, and bones.

While the study collects data on outcomes including opioid use, pain scores, and lung function, the primary outcome looked at is the quality of recovery score for patients in the first 24 hours after cardiac surgery. Dr. Sun chose this as the primary outcome because it is a patient-centred measurement, asking patients how they are feeling on a functional, multi-dimensional level. 

Study almost to halfway mark

There are many moving parts to a randomized control trial such as this. Dr. Sun and her team have screened hundreds of patients in the process of recruitment. They coordinate with surgery team for the procedures and check in frequently with patients after their operation. 

The study has almost reached its halfway mark, and Dr. Sun will soon be conducting an interim analysis of the results. Currently, eighty patients have gone through the procedure and completed the three-month follow-up assessment. The team is hoping to recruit 200 participants in total. Dr. Sun anticipates that the trial will be complete within two more years.

“Hopefully by the end of that, we’ll have an answer as to whether or not this strategy is effective in our cardiac surgery patients,” says Dr. Sun. 

Project enabled by Early Career Clinician Investigator Award

The funding from the Carraresi Foundation Early Career Clinician Investigator Award enabled Dr. Sun and her team to initiate and continue this project. 

“It’s always nice to get these awards, as an early career clinician, because it places more weight to your name, and certainly gives you the confidence to continue to apply for more awards, and keep going in your area of interest,” says Dr. Sun. 

Providence Research is currently inviting applications for the 2026 Carraresi Foundation Early Career Clinician Investigator Award. To learn more about the award and how to apply, visit our website. 

Providence Research and St. Paul’s Foundation are grateful to the Carraresi Foundation, in memory of Augusto Carraresi, for its interest in supporting early career research at Providence.