Topics and Trends in Most Cited Anesthesia and Pain Management Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Anesthesia and Pain Management research in the Class of 2026?

Ultrasound-guided nerve block, morphine milligram equivalents, and propofol define the Class of 2026 anesthesia cohort, alongside a focus on precise outcome measurement. Ultrasound-guided blocks and standardized opioid metrics rose sharply from the Class of 2025, while opioid-free anesthesia and esketamine receded among top-cited papers.

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Updated July 19, 2026

At a glance

Field
Anesthesia and Pain Management
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
9,015
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Ultrasound-guided nerve block, morphine milligram equivalents, numeric rating scale, propofol
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
18–38
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 9,015
3818m citations

Anaesthetic efficacy and postinduction hypotension with remimazolam compared with propofol: a multicentre randomised controlled trial

J Fechner et al.Anaesthesia202410.1111/anae.16205

J. FechnerSURE-TIVA Trial Group, Spain

remimazolampropofolTotal intravenous anesthesiaPostinduction hypotensionASA physical status 3 or 4Narcotrend Indexshort-acting benzodiazepineanaesthetic efficacyNoninferiority trialnoradrenaline administrationelective surgerycomorbiditiesinduction and maintenance of anaesthesia
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#2 of 9,015
3718m citations

Complication Rates After Ultrasonography-Guided Nerve Blocks Performed in the Emergency Department

Andrew Goldsmith et al.JAMA Network Open202410.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.44742

Andrew GoldsmithLahey Hospital and Medical Center, United States

Ultrasound-guided nerve blockemergency department analgesiaNational Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Block Registryfascia iliaca blocklocal anesthetic systemic toxicityintralipidmultimodal analgesiacomplication ratespain score reductionopioid-sparing strategyresident physician trainingacute pain management
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#3 of 9,015
3218m citations

Perioperative Adjunctive Esketamine for Postpartum Depression Among Women Undergoing Elective Cesarean Delivery

Yu Chen et al.JAMA Network Open202410.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.0953

Xiaodan WuFujian Medical University, China

postpartum depressionesketaminecesarean sectionEdinburgh Postnatal Depression Scalepatient-controlled intravenous analgesiaperioperative administration0.25 mg/kg esketamine dosagepostpartum day 7depression symptom prevalenceNumeric Rating Scalepositive screening threshold EPDS ≥10early postpartum periodfull-term single pregnancyelective cesarean sectionintravenous esketamineadjunctive analgesiaperinatal mental health
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#4 of 9,015
3018m citations

Serratus Anterior Plane Blocks for Early Rib Fracture Pain Management

Christopher Partyka et al.JAMA Surgery202410.1001/jamasurg.2024.0969

Christopher PartykaRoyal North Shore Hospital, Australia

serratus anterior plane blockSAPBrib fracturesblunt thoracic traumaRegional anesthesiapain score reductionopioid consumptionMorphine milligram equivalentscomposite pain outcomeemergency department interventionpragmatic randomized clinical trialhemithorax analgesiaearly pain managementpneumonia complicationLength of stay30-day mortality
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#5 of 9,015
3018m citations

Injectable Hydrogel Delivery System with High Drug Loading for Prolonging Local Anesthesia

Yongchun Li et al.Advanced Science202410.1002/advs.202309482

Jie Liu, Jingdun XieSun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, China

Peripheral nerve blockinjectable hydrogel delivery systemropivacaineheterogeneous hydrogel microspheresmicrofluidic chipin situ alkalizationself-healing hydrogelcarboxymethylcellulose (CMC-ADH)oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA)dexmedetomidinecore-shell microsphereshigh drug loadingcontrolled releasesequential releasesynergistic analgesic effectsSensory blockMotor blockpostoperative pain management
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#6 of 9,015
2918m citations

Chronic postsurgical pain

Valeria Martinez et al.European Journal of Anaesthesiology202410.1097/eja.0000000000001974

Dominique FletcherRaymond Poincaré Hospital, France

Chronic postsurgical painCPSPbreast cancer surgerysternotomyendometriosis surgerytotal knee arthroplastyTKAneuropathic pain componentPreoperative painpain incidence at 6 monthsmulticentre European prospective observational trialCPSP predictive scorepsychological and functional wellbeingquality of lifepain severitystandardised questionnairesrisk factors for CPSP
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#7 of 9,015
2718m citations

Trends in Opioid Prescribing and New Persistent Opioid Use After Surgery in the United States

Alexandra O Luby et al.Annals of Surgery202410.1097/sla.0000000000006461

Alexandra O. Luby, Dominic Alessio-Bilowus, Hsou Mei Hu, Jennifer F. WaljeeUniversity of Michigan, United States

new persistent opioid useOpioid-naive patientsMorphine milligram equivalentsOMEHealth Care Cost Institutemulti-payer claims datainitial opioid prescription sizeopioid stewardshiptotal knee arthroplastyshoulder arthroscopynonopioid controlled substancesmixed effects logistic regressionpostoperative opioid prescribingorthopedic procedures
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#8 of 9,015
2718m citations

Comparison of opioid‐free and opioid‐inclusive propofol anaesthesia for thyroid and parathyroid surgery: a randomised controlled trial

Dan Wang et al.Anaesthesia202410.1111/anae.16382

Ke PengSoochow University, China

Opioid-free anesthesiaOpioid-based anesthesiapropofol anaesthesiathyroid surgeryparathyroid surgeryPostoperative nausea and vomitingesketaminelidocainedexmedetomidinesufentanilbispectral indexdexamethasoneondansetronacetaminophenflurbiprofen axetilmultimodal analgesiatracheal extubationrescue anti-emetics
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#9 of 9,015
2718m citations

Intravenous Lidocaine for Gut Function Recovery in Colonic Surgery

Hugh Paterson et al.JAMA202410.1001/jama.2024.23898

Hugh PatersonUniversity of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Intravenous lidocainegut function recoverycolonic surgeryminimally invasive colon resectionpostoperative ileusGI-3 composite endpointGI-2 recoveryperioperative infusionALLEGRO trialPostoperative nausea and vomitingopioid consumptionQuality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15)Enhanced recovery after surgerytime to dischargeelective colectomy
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#11 of 9,015
2418m citations

Cardiac arrest in obstetric patients receiving anaesthetic care: results from the 7th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists

D N Lucas et al.Anaesthesia202410.1111/anae.16204

D. N. LucasLondon North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, United Kingdom

National Audit Projectperi-operative cardiac arrestObstetric anesthesiaNeuraxial anesthesialabour epidural analgesiaremifentanil patient-controlled analgesiahaemorrhagehigh neuraxial blockbradycardiaSpinal anesthesiafailed airway managementunderestimated haemorrhage severityinadequate early resuscitation
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#13 of 9,015
2318m citations

Addition of Liposomal Bupivacaine to Standard Bupivacaine versus Standard Bupivacaine Alone in the Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Timmy Chi Wing Chan et al.Anesthesiology202410.1097/aln.0000000000005035

Stanley Sau Ching WongUniversity of Hong Kong, China

liposomal bupivacaineBupivacainesupraclavicular brachial plexus blockdistal radial fracture fixationRegional anesthesiaNumeric Rating Scaleweighted area under curvePain at restPain with movementoverall benefit with analgesia scorepostoperative analgesiasensory function assessment
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#15 of 9,015
2018m citations

Unilateral sacral erector spinae plane block for hip fracture surgery

F Marrone et al.Anaesthesia Reports202410.1002/anr3.12269

Francesco MarroneSanto Spirito Hospital, Italy

sacral erector spinae plane blockhip fracture surgeryelderly patientsregional anaesthesia alternativeintramedullary nailingproximal femoral fractureS2 vertebra intermediate crestT12 to S2 dermatome blockbilateral sensory block from unilateral injectionavoidance of hypotensionmotor-sparing blockcardiovascular comorbidityrespiratory comorbidityalternative to neuraxial anaesthesiaalternative to general anaesthesia
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#16 of 9,015
1918m citations

An Engineered Bionic Nanoparticle Sponge as a Cytokine Trap and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenger to Relieve Disc Degeneration and Discogenic Pain

Wenbo Yang et al.ACS Nano202410.1021/acsnano.3c08097

Zengwu Shao, Xiangcheng Qing, Yizhong PengUnion Hospital, China

MnO2@TMNP nanoparticleTrkA-overexpressed macrophage cell membranecytokine trapreactive oxygen species scavengingintervertebral disc degenerationdiscogenic painM1 macrophage polarizationnucleus pulposus cellsnerve growth factor bindinginflammation-induced apoptosismatrix degradationnerve ingrowthmacrophage-targeted deliverycalcitonin gene-related peptidesubstance Pdorsal root ganglionGFAP signalingc-FOS signalingmechanical and thermal hyperalgesiainflammatory immune microenvironment
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#17 of 9,015
1918m citations

Effectiveness of the Bilateral and Bilevel Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) in Pediatric Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Controlled Trial

Małgorzata Domagalska et al.Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics202410.1097/bpo.0000000000002707

Małgorzata Domagalska, Tomasz Reysner, Grzegorz Kowalski, Katarzyna Wieczorowska–TobisPoznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland

erector spinae plane blockESPBpediatric idiopathic scoliosisUltrasound-guided nerve blockbilateral and bilevel blockMotor-evoked potentialsNeutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratioPlatelet-to-lymphocyte ratiospinal correction and fusion surgerypostoperative pain scoresNumeric Rating Scaleopioid consumptionsurgical stress responseintraoperative neuromonitoringremifentanilpropofol
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#18 of 9,015
1918m citations

Effect of remimazolam versus propofol on hypotension after anesthetic induction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: A randomized controlled trial

Jae-Woo Ju et al.Journal of Clinical Anesthesia202410.1016/j.jclinane.2024.111580

Karam NamSeoul National University Hospital, South Korea

remimazolampropofolhypotensionAnesthesia inductionCoronary artery bypass graftinghemodynamic stabilityintraoperative blood pressurebenzodiazepine anestheticcardiac surgery anesthesiavasopressor requirementRandomized controlled trial
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#19 of 9,015
1918m citations

Lower socioeconomic status is correlated with worse outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Taylor Timoteo et al.Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research202410.1186/s13018-024-05360-0

Stephanie MuhHenry Ford Hospital, United States

Area Deprivation Indexsocioeconomic statusarthroscopic rotator cuff repairVisual Analogue ScalePatient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information SystemPROMIS-Pain InterferencePROMIS-Upper Extremityforward flexionabductionrange of motionpostoperative complicationsretearsreoperation rateshealth disparitiesshoulder functionPreoperative painPostoperative painsocial determinants of health
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#20 of 9,015
1818m citations

Does use of glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists increase perioperative complications in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty?

Zaid Elsabbagh et al.Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery202410.1016/j.jse.2024.07.045

Zaid ElsabbaghThe Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States

GLP-1 receptor agonisttotal shoulder arthroplastyTSAType 2 diabetes mellitusperioperative complicationspostoperative outcomesLength of staypropensity-score matching90-day major medical complications2-year joint-related complicationsprosthetic joint infectionperiprosthetic fractureretrospective cohort studymultivariable logistic regressionReadmissionaseptic revisionsurgical site infection
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Anesthesia and Pain Management

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The informative word cloud across the highest 18-month-cited anesthesia and pain management papers reveals a field emphasizing regional techniques, precision outcome metrics, and targeted anesthetics. Ultrasound-guided nerve block leads the cohort (normalized frequency 0.16), underscoring the central role of image-guided interventions in impactful 2024 literature. Morphine milligram equivalents follows closely (0.14), highlighting a rigorous focus on standardized opioid measurement. A robust tier of clinical endpoints and agents includes the Numeric Rating Scale (0.12) and propofol (0.12), alongside Postoperative nausea and vomiting (0.10), cesarean section (0.10), and multimodal analgesia (0.10). Advanced pain management modalities also surface prominently, with acetaminophen, bupivacaine 0.25%, esketamine, intervertebral disc degeneration, and liposomal bupivacaine each appearing at a normalized frequency of 0.08. After informativeness filtering, broad labels are excluded, leaving a precise portrait of a specialty that prioritizes ultrasound-guided regional techniques, standardized pain and opioid metrics, and targeted pharmacological agents in the highest-impact 2024 publications.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Comparing normalized concept frequencies between the Class of 2025 (2023 publications) and Class of 2026 (2024 publications) cohorts reveals a reorientation of early-high-impact anesthesia research toward ultrasound-guided techniques and standardized opioid metrics. Ultrasound-guided nerve block exhibited the largest gain (+0.12 normalized frequency), followed by morphine milligram equivalents (+0.10), liposomal bupivacaine (+0.08), bupivacaine 0.25% (+0.06), and intervertebral disc degeneration (+0.06). The topic evolution card highlights these shifts, showing Class of 2026 bars extending furthest for these precise interventions and outcome measures. Conversely, opioid-free anesthesia showed the steepest decline (−0.12), reflecting reduced dominance of this specific paradigm among the most-cited papers. Esketamine (−0.08) also receded, alongside the Numeric Rating Scale (−0.06), propofol (−0.06), and Postoperative nausea and vomiting (−0.06). Together, these shifts suggest that the most-cited 2024 papers increasingly emphasize specific ultrasound-guided regional techniques and advanced local anesthetic formulations over broader pharmacological concepts like esketamine or overarching narratives like opioid-free anesthesia.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Anesthesia and Pain Management Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/anesthesia-and-pain-management/2026. Accessed 2026-08-20.

Methodology
Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459