IARS 2026 International Outreach Travel Grant Interview: Emmanuel Stephen Aporu, MMed

Intraoperative Pain Management and Associated Pain at Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Admission after Major Surgery in a Low-Resource Setting: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract Presentation:

IARS 2027 Annual Meeting, April 30 – May 2, 2027, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel, in Chicago, IL

A personal experience suffering from chronic nonsurgical pain and later severe acute postoperative pain motivated Emmanuel Stephen Aporu, MMed, to study chronic postsurgical pain and discover strategies to mitigate these long-term consequences for patients, especially in low-resource settings like in his home country of Uganda. Although most pain research in sub-Saharan Africa focuses on postoperative pain management, Dr. Aporu was intrigued to look deeper into what happens when the patient wakes from surgery. From his research beginnings to today, his investigations have evolved to uncover a better understanding of the longer-term consequences of severe acute postsurgical pain, ultimately significantly improving patients’ quality of life. Now a CHESA-Lifebox Anesthesia Safety Research Fellow at the Association of Anesthesiologists of Uganda Hypoxia Lab in Kampala, Uganda, Dr. Aporu was recently recognized with the IARS 2026 International Outreach Travel Grant for his research focused on “Intraoperative Pain Management and Associated Pain at Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Admission after Major Surgery in a Low-Resource Setting: A Prospective Cohort Study.” This travel grant will help Dr. Aporu become a leader in perioperative pain research and management and find practical solutions to problems still prevalent in this setting and beyond. He will present his research during the IARS 2027 Annual Meeting, April 30 – May 2, 2027, at the Hilton Chicago Hotel, in Chicago, IL. In this interview, he shares his research journey, the impact of this travel grant on his career and goals for his research in the future.

1. For this research, you are…

Principal investigator

2. What drew you to this area of research, and what has evolved since your initial research project?

Generally, my interest in perioperative pain research was informed by personal experiences. During my anesthesia residency, I first experienced chronic nonsurgical pain, and later severe acute postoperative pain. These experiences gave me a unique perspective and highlighted the profound impact that poorly managed acute postoperative pain can have on recovery and quality of life. My work has since evolved toward understanding the longer-term consequences of severe acute postoperative pain, particularly the burden of chronic postsurgical pain in both rural and urban settings of Uganda, and the available management options.

3. What are the goals you most want to accomplish in your work with this research project (or projects)?

In sub-Saharan Africa, most pain research focuses on postoperative pain management, so I was intrigued to learn what happens during the intraoperative phase and what patients experience upon waking from surgery. Specifically, for this work, we aimed to describe the pain management strategies employed during the intraoperative period, the prevalence of moderate-to-severe pain at admission to the post-anesthesia care unit, and which patient, provider, or surgical factors are associated with pain control at Mulago Hospital, Uganda’s largest public health facility. Our findings will help optimize patient pain management during surgery and contribute to a more pleasant patient experience.

4. What is the potential impact of your research on the field of anesthesia and patient care?

Our study revealed gaps in intraoperative pain management: limited use of neuraxial analgesia and non-opioid analgesics, and no use of regional blocks. Some patients did not receive any analgesics. About six out of ten patients reported moderate-to-severe pain at admission to the post-anesthesia care unit. In our setting – and in similar resource-limited environments – protocolized intraoperative pain management and training of anesthesia providers in advanced pain management techniques and multimodal approaches are vital to improving pain management.

5. How do you feel about receiving the IARS International Outreach Travel Grant?

I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this grant. This recognition is both encouraging and motivating, especially as an early-career researcher working in Uganda.

6. How will this grant affect your research and professional trajectory?

My goal is to become a leader in perioperative pain research and management. Through this grant, I hope to expand my network of pain management experts, identify opportunities for collaborative research projects, and explore funding sources. This grant will also enable me to discover opportunities for advanced training in perioperative pain management and research.

7. What are the benefits of presenting your research at the IARS Annual Meeting?

Since the IARS Annual Meeting brings together people who have spent careers thinking about the exact problems I am working on, getting feedback from that group will sharpen my work and polish my research ideas. I am also hoping to learn from researchers in other low- and lower-middle-income settings who face similar challenges or have found practical solutions to problems still prevalent in my setting.

8. Is there anyone else you wish to acknowledge as part of this research team?

I would like to thank all the patients who agreed to participate in this study, the staff at Mulago Hospital who cared for them, the assistant researchers, and my mentors for their support throughout this project.

9. Outside of your research, what might someone be surprised to learn about you?

Outside of medicine, I have a strong passion for music – particularly rap. If I were not pursuing a career in anesthesia and research, I would likely be exploring a path in music as a creative outlet.