Tetsu Ohnuma

Duke University, Duke University Hospital

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About

Dr. Tetsu Ohnuma is a leading investigator in perioperative medicine and thoracic surgical outcomes, with a focused expertise in analgesic strategies and postoperative pulmonary complications. His major contributions center on optimizing pain management for patients undergoing lung resection, particularly lobectomy. In a landmark 2021 study (13 citations), Dr. Ohnuma identified a critical association between gabapentinoid use and increased postoperative pulmonary complications in thoracic surgery, challenging routine prescribing practices and prompting safer analgesic protocols. His comprehensive analysis of national trends (2009–2018) using the Premier database (6 citations) further revealed significant shifts away from epidural analgesia toward multimodal nonopioid and opioid regimens, providing essential evidence for evolving clinical guidelines. By leveraging large-scale administrative data, Dr. Ohnuma’s work directly informs anesthesiologists and surgeons on balancing effective pain control with respiratory safety. His research has been instrumental in shaping evidence-based perioperative care for open, video-assisted, and robotic-assisted lobectomy, making him a key voice in thoracic anesthesiology and a valuable resource for clinicians seeking to reduce pulmonary risks while improving patient recovery.