Robert Chow, MD, MBA
Assistant Professor of AnesthesiologyCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Smoking and Postoperative Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Chow R, Lans Z, Cohen S, Lin H, Zhao J, Rajput K. Smoking and Postoperative Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Pain Practice 2025, 25: e70083. PMID: 40977634, DOI: 10.1111/papr.70083.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPain scoresPostoperative painOpioid requirementsPostoperative daySmoking historyAnalysis of pain scoresHigh opioid requirementsPostoperative opioid consumptionAcute postoperative painPostoperative pain scoresMeta-analysisEffects of smokingStandardized mean differenceOpioid consumptionPulmonary complicationsRate of infectionPostoperative complicationsPostoperative outcomesCardiovascular eventsPerioperative periodPainMean differenceNonsmokersSmokersStatistical significanceChatGPT and low back pain - Evaluating AI-driven patient education in the context of interventional pain medicine
Basharat A, Shah R, Wilcox N, Tur G, Tripati S, Kansal P, Gandhi N, Pokuri S, Chong G, Odonkor C, Varhabhatla N, Chow R. ChatGPT and low back pain - Evaluating AI-driven patient education in the context of interventional pain medicine. Interventional Pain Medicine 2025, 4: 100636. PMID: 40978326, PMCID: PMC12444463, DOI: 10.1016/j.inpm.2025.100636.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLow back painElectronic health recordsBack painPatient questionsHealth literacy standardsEmergency medicine residentsHealth-related questionsInterventional pain medicineInterventional pain specialistsPrimary careHealth recordsPhysical therapyClinician feedbackMedicine residentsPain fellowsClinical educationPatient educationPain specialistsPain medicineClinical workflowSelf-treatmentClinical complete responsePlain languageLevel scaleReadability scoresPain catastrophizing: a trait or a state?
Rajput K, Fujita-Howie B, Zhao X, Lin H, Chow R. Pain catastrophizing: a trait or a state? Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2025, rapm-2025-107047. PMID: 40819919, DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2025-107047.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPain Management in the Older Adults A Narrative Review
Rajput K, Ng J, Zwolinski N, Chow R. Pain Management in the Older Adults A Narrative Review. Clinics In Geriatric Medicine 2025, 41: 131-151. PMID: 39551538, DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2024.03.011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPain managementOlder adult populationOlder adult patientsOlder adultsAdult populationMultiple medicationsLife expectancyClinical practiceAdult patientsMedical managementPreexisting comorbiditiesPainUnited StatesDegenerative processPracticeNonagenariansMedicationAdultsComorbiditiesReviewManagementOctogenariansPatients
2024
Perioperative Pain Management: An Update on Pharmacology with a Special Focus on the Opioid Tolerant Elderly
Chow R, Rajput K. Perioperative Pain Management: An Update on Pharmacology with a Special Focus on the Opioid Tolerant Elderly. Current Anesthesiology Reports 2024, 15: 6. DOI: 10.1007/s40140-024-00656-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchElderly patientsOpioid toleranceChronic painPain managementModerate to high-risk patientsIncreasing use of opioidsOpioid-tolerant patientsSide effects of sedationOpioid sparing effectDoses of opioidsHigh-risk patientsUse of opioidsDrug-drug interactionsChronic opioidsOpioid requirementsTolerant patientsMultimodal analgesicsEffects of sedationPerioperative painRespiratory depressionHome dosePreexisting comorbiditiesPain surgeryRegional anestheticsPerioperative periodRelationship between diet and postoperative pain: A scoping review
Chowdhary H, Chow R, Li J, Rajput K. Relationship between diet and postoperative pain: A scoping review. Journal Of Anesthesia And Translational Medicine 2024, 3: 181-187. DOI: 10.1016/j.jatmed.2024.11.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPost-surgical painN-methyl-D-aspartateAcute postoperative painPostoperative painHigh-fat dietPain sensitivitySurgical populationImpact of dietIntermittent fastingPersistent post-surgical painAcute post-surgical painHuman studiesDiverse surgical populationResponse to morphinePost-operative painChronic pain conditionsHigh-fatReduction of inflammationPersistent painPain conditionsPainCochrane DatabaseRisk factorsCollate available evidenceInflammationA comparison of steroid dose with or without local anesthetic in lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections
Chow R, Ng J, Wood M, Yanez D, He Z, Rajput K. A comparison of steroid dose with or without local anesthetic in lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections. Pain Practice 2024, 25: e13410. PMID: 39305041, DOI: 10.1111/papr.13410.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEpidural steroid injectionsHigh-dose steroidsInterlaminar epidural steroid injectionsLow-dose steroidsInterlaminar ESILow-dose dexamethasonePercentage of patientsPain reliefSteroid injectionMonths follow-upLocal anestheticsSteroid doseLumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injectionsTransforaminal epidural steroid injectionPercentage of pain reliefHigh-dose dexamethasoneModerate to significant improvementNRS pain scoresSignificant pain improvementSignificant pain reliefNon-particulate steroidsBaseline demographic dataTransforaminal ESILumbar radiculopathyPain improvementThe Landscape of Pain Medicine for Women Physicians: A Perspective.
Jankelovits A, Chow R, Rana P, Rajput K. The Landscape of Pain Medicine for Women Physicians: A Perspective. Pain Physician Journal 2024, 27: 317-320. PMID: 39087969, DOI: 10.36076/ppj.2024.7.317.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPain medicineWomen physiciansInterventional painPain medicine fellowsField of pain medicineGender disparitiesInterventional pain medicineAdverse health outcomesPrivate practiceSubspecialty of anesthesiologyUniversity School of MedicineLack of mentorshipPain physiciansPhysicians' beliefsHealth outcomesFemale physiciansPainSchool of MedicineFemale cliniciansCochrane DatabaseAcademic hospitalBottom quartileYale University School of MedicineFellowship programsMedical subspecialtiesRelationship of pain relief with catastrophizing following interventional pain procedures for low back pain
Rajput K, Howie B, Danesh J, Zhao X, Lin H, Yanez D, Chow R. Relationship of pain relief with catastrophizing following interventional pain procedures for low back pain. Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2024, 50: 489-494. PMID: 38744446, DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2023-105247.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChronic low back painPain Catastrophizing Scale scoresPain Catastrophizing ScaleBrief Pain InventoryLow back painPain severity scorePain severitySteroid injectionBack painPain interventionsAssociated with worse pain outcomesFollow-upRelationship of pain reliefResponses to pain interventionsSeverity scoreInterventional pain proceduresActivity-related painFluoroscopic-guided injectionPost-injectionBaseline painPrior surgeryOpioid useClinically meaningful changePain outcomesPain relief
2023
A Survey Study of Surgeons and Anesthesiologists Regarding Perioperative Multimodal Analgesia for Opioid-Tolerant Patients
Haddad D, Yu V, Chow R, Yanez D, Rajput K. A Survey Study of Surgeons and Anesthesiologists Regarding Perioperative Multimodal Analgesia for Opioid-Tolerant Patients. Journal Of PeriAnesthesia Nursing 2023, 39: 87-92. PMID: 37855765, DOI: 10.1016/j.jopan.2023.07.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOpioid-tolerant patientsPerioperative pain managementPain managementMultimodal analgesicsPerioperative multimodal analgesiaPatient-centered carePerioperative nursing teamMultimodal analgesiaPerioperative timeRegional anestheticPain consultationsPractice patternsRegional anesthesiaNursing teamMost surgeonsPatientsAnesthesiologistsRegional blocksSurgeonsOptimal outcomesAnalgesicsSurvey studyQualtrics surveyUrgent needAnalgesia
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
AMPA Receptor Components of the Anti-Depressant Ketamine Response
HIC ID2000021345RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2032Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 65 years
Clinical Care
Overview
Robert Chow, MD, is an anesthesiologist specializing in interventional pain management.
He treats Long COVID symptoms, including anosmia (loss of smell), trigeminal neuralgia (a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve in the face), headaches, and peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage causing pain or numbness).
Dr. Chow has a particular interest in peripheral nerve stimulation and spinal cord stimulation, and he performs joint injections, spine injections, radiofrequency ablations and more.
Pain medicine has allowed Dr. Chow to blend the science of medicine and the art of healing, combining precision, empathy, and rapidly developing rapport with patients. He is inspired by the role anesthesiologists play, both in ensuring patient safety during surgery and in supporting patients through some of their most challenging times.
“After working closely with patients in acute pain, I realized that chronic pain has a profound impact on quality of life,” he says. “In pain medicine, I found the opportunity to help patients regain mobility, improve their function and enhance their well-being.”
Dr. Chow completed his medical degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He underwent his residency in anesthesiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, followed by a fellowship in interventional pain medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Anesthesiology; Acute Pain
Fact Sheets
Sciatica
Learn More on Yale MedicineSacroiliac Joint Fusion
Learn More on Yale MedicineChronic Pain
Learn More on Yale MedicineRadiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology)
- Certification Organization
- AB of Anesthesiology
- Original Certification Date
- 2015
Anesthesiology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Anesthesiology
- Original Certification Date
- 2015
Yale Medicine News
Get In Touch
Locations
Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.