Welcome to the Division of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine

The Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine group is divided into Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management and Chronic and Interventional Pain Medicine, with complementary but different primary focus. We provide both inpatient and outpatient services for a large referral base.

Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain

As a diverse group of regional anesthesiologists, we take great pride in our commitment to improve acute pain in surgical patients, as well as in those patients hospitalized with chronic pain conditions. These goals are central to our division’s overall mission of education, research and service.

All of our division faculty are board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiologists.

VCU Health System is a high volume center, and we perform over 5,000 regional anesthesia procedures a year. We strive to provide innovative patient care, in collaboration with our surgical and medical team colleagues. Our division is also dedicated to providing cohesive and modern educational and training experiences to our residents and regional anesthesia fellows. Every year, we represent VCU Health System with posters and presentations of our research at meetings such as the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, International Anesthesia Research Society and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. The broad extent of our patient care and training include the following:

  • Regional Anesthesia for both adult and pediatric patients
    • Neuraxial anesthesia, including spinals, epidurals, and combined spinal epidurals
    • Upper and lower extremity nerve blocks
    • Truncal nerve blocks
    • Ambulatory nerve catheter infusions
  • Multimodal anesthesia
    • Multimodal pain management therapies
    • Ketamine infusions
    • Lidocaine infusions
  • Diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions
  • Holistic therapies
    • Acupuncture
  • Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and simulation education

Sabrina Dhillon, M.D.

Sabrina Dhillon, M.D.

Associate Professor

Sabrina Dhillon, M.D.

Sabrina Dhillon, M.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S., Chemistry, University of Virginia
Graduate: M.D., M.Sc., Eastern Virginia Medical School
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Virginia

Email: sabrina.dhillon@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Laura Lahaye, M.D.

Laura Lahaye, M.D.

Associate Professor

Laura Lahaye, M.D.

Laura Lahaye, M.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Associate Professor; Director of Acute Pain Service
Undergraduate: B.S. (Univ of Maryland, College Park, MD)
Graduate: M.D. (UVA, Charlottesville, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH)
Interests: Regional Anesthesia, General Anesthesia

Email: laura.lahaye@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Praveen Prasanna, M.D.

Praveen Prasanna, M.D.

Associate Professor, Residency Program Director

Praveen Prasanna, M.D.

Praveen Prasanna, M.D.

Associate Professor, Residency Program Director

Department of Anesthesiology

Residency Program Director
Graduate: MBBS, Bachelor of Surgery (Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India)
Post Doctoral Training: Fellow of the College of Anaesthetists Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FCARCSI) (Royal College of Anaesthetists United Kingdom)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Baystate Medical Center, Springfield MA)
Interests: Regional and General Anesthesia

Email: praveen.prasanna@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Bryant Tran, M.D.

Bryant Tran, M.D.

Associate Professor

Bryant Tran, M.D.

Bryant Tran, M.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Associate Professor; Regional Anesthesia Fellowship Director
Undergraduate: B.S., Wake Forest University
Graduate: M.D., Wake Forest University
Internship: Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Virginia
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine, Stanford University
Interests: Regional Anesthesia, Transplant Anesthesia, Acute Pain Management

Email: bryant.tran@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Michael Buxhoeveden, M.D.

Michael Buxhoeveden, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Michael Buxhoeveden, M.D.

Michael Buxhoeveden, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S., Villanova University
Graduate: M.S., Georgetown University
Graduate: M.D., Rutgers- New Jersey Medical School
Residency: Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
Interests: Regional Anesthesia, Perioperative Ultrasound

Fax: 804-828-8300

Read More

Cedric H. Campbell, M.D.

Cedric H. Campbell, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Cedric H. Campbell, M.D.

Cedric H. Campbell, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S., Medical Tech, Union College
Graduate: M.D., University of Illinois
Internship: Family Medicine, St. Elizabeth Medical Center
Residency: Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Interests: General Anesthesia

Email: cedric.campbell@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Deanna Couser, M.D

Deanna Couser, M.D

Assistant Professor

Deanna Couser, M.D

Deanna Couser, M.D

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.Sc Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Graduate, M.D: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Fellowship: the Pediatric Anesthesiology University of North Carolina, School of Medicine

Email: deanna.couser@vcuhealth.org

David Moffatt, M.D.

David Moffatt, M.D.

Assistant Professor

David Moffatt, M.D.

David Moffatt, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: McDaniel College
Medical School: VCU School of Medicine
Residency: University of Washington, Seattle
Fellowship: University of New Mexico, Regional and Acute Pain

Email: david.moffatt@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Jay Napoleon, M.D.

Jay Napoleon, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Jay Napoleon, M.D.

Jay Napoleon, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S. Mechanical Engineering (MIT, Cambridge, MA)
Graduate: M.D. (VCU Medical Center)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Fellowship: Pain Management (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Acute Pain Management, Regional Anesthesia

Email: jay.napoleon@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.

Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.

Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S. Business Information Technology (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA)
Graduate: M.D. (Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU)
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (VCU)
Interests: Regional, resident education, ERAS

Email: maliha.nowrouz@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Astrid Overholt, M.D.

Astrid Overholt, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Astrid Overholt, M.D.

Astrid Overholt, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate Major: Integrative Biology, B.A., Minor: Scandinavian Studies (University of California, Berkeley, CA)
Graduate: MD (Tulane University, New Orleans, LA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA)
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain (Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA)
Interests: Regional Anesthesia, Acute Pain, Local Anesthetics, Clinical pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, Global Health

Email: astrid.overholt@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.

Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.

Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S. Biochemistry (University of California, Los Angeles)
Graduate: M.D. (VCU School of Medicine)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Albany Medical Center)

Email: shilen.thakrar@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Matthew Torre, D.O.

Matthew Torre, D.O.

Assistant Professor

Matthew Torre, D.O.

Matthew Torre, D.O.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S. Biology (James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA)
Graduate: M.D. (Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Blacksburg, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn, NY)
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA)
Interests: Acute Pain Medicine, Regional Anesthesia, General Anesthesia

Email: matthew.torre@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Chronic and Interventional Pain Medicine

The focus of our Chronic and Interventional Pain group is to treat pain that extends beyond the perioperative area, whereby the pain may have its origins in post-surgical causes, cancer, chronic disease, or often, idiopathic conditions. The focus is on restorative therapies that return the patient to healthy adaptive lifestyles without the burden of debilitating pain.

All of our division faculty are board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiologists, the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation or other member boards with added qualifications in pain medicine.

VCU Health System has a balanced, interdisciplinary approach to chronic pain care that utilizes interventional and operative approaches, psychological techniques, physical therapies, pharmacological approaches and alternative approaches such as acupuncture, nutritional care and wellness, all utilized in a comprehensive patient-centered care plan. We train four clinical Chronic and Interventional Pain fellows each year and have a large national presence. Our group produces national level research and strives to continue to find innovative ways to help treat our patients and advance the science of pain care.

Examples of the techniques utilized include:

  • Interventional image-guided spinal procedures such as epidural injections, radiofrequency ablation, and sympathetic blocks
  • Operative implants: Peripheral nerve stimulators, spinal and dorsal root ganglion stimulators, and intraspinal drug delivery pumps
  • Hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral and interdisciplinary neuroscience education
  • Pharmacologic therapies primarily using neuromodulating agents and non-opioid therapies
  • Alternative therapies including acupuncture

Andrew W. Chapman, M.D.

Andrew W. Chapman, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Andrew W. Chapman, M.D.

Andrew W. Chapman, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: B.S., Biology, Washington and Lee University
Graduate: M.D., University at Buffalo School of Medicine
Internship: Transitional Intern, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
Residency: Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Fellowship: Interventional Pain, Rush University Medical Center
Interests: Neuromodulation, Cancer Pain

Email: andrew.chapman@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Joshua Lee, M.D.

Joshua Lee, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Joshua Lee, M.D.

Joshua Lee, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Undergraduate: University of Virginia's College at Wise
Graduate: M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Residency: Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Fellowship: Interventional Pain, Virginia Commonwealth University

Email: joshua.m.lee@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Nicolas Maxymiv, D.O., M.S.

Nicolas Maxymiv, D.O., M.S.

Assistant Professor

Nicolas Maxymiv, D.O., M.S.

Nicolas Maxymiv, D.O., M.S.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Email: Nicolas.Maxymiv1@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Mary Wells, Ph.D.

Mary Wells, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Mary Wells, Ph.D.

Mary Wells, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Anesthesiology

Email: mary.wells@vcuhealth.org

Read More