Research Projects
Persistent opioid use after surgery

Objective and Significance:
Opioids are commonly used for perioperative analgesia. But prolonged use after surgery is associated with various adverse events including opioid use disorder, increased mortality, and unplanned readmissions. Understanding risk factors and impact of persistent opioid use after surgery is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes. This project aims to identify risk factors for persistent opioid use and its association patient outcomes. 

Research Plan and Methodology:
This retrospective cohort study will make use of clinical data from the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS), which is managed by the Hospital Authority. Participants will be involved in finding the incidence of persistent opioid use, risk factors and associated adverse patient outcomes. Machine learning including regression model will be used to help identify individuals at risk of developing persistent opioid use. 

Professor SSC Wong, Department of Anaesthesiology

Professor Wong Sau Ching Stanley- MBBS (HK), MD (HKU), FHKCA, FHKAM (Anaesthesiology), FANZCA, FHKCA (Pain Med)- is a specialist in Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine working as Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Anaesthesiology, HKU. He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists (HKCA) and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and also a HKCA Fellow in Pain Medicine. His research focus is on pain medicine, including acute postoperative pain management, the effect of anaesthetic drugs and techniques on postoperative pain and pain signaling mechanism. He is currently the Interim Chairperson of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Deputy Director of the Laboratory and Clinical Research Institute for Pain, The University of Hong Kong. 

Biography
HKU Scholars Hub
Lab Homepage
ORCID
wongstan@hku.hk

For more information or to express interest for this project, please email the supervisor or the specified contact point in the project description.  Interested candidates are advised to enclose with your email:

1. your CV,
2. a brief description of your research interest and experience, and
3. two reference letters (not required for HKUMed UG students seeking MRes[Med]/URIS projects).

Information on the research programme, funding support and admission documentations could be referenced online at the Research Postgraduate Admissions website. General admission enquiries should be directed to rpgmed@hku.hk.

HKUMed MBBS students interested in the Master of Research in Medicine (MRes[Med]) programme may visit the programme website for more information.  

HKUMed UG students interested in the Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme (URIS) may visit the scheme’s website for more information.