HSS Study Evaluates Non-Opioid Pain Relief Following Orthopedic Surgery

Newly approved non-opioid pain medication suzetrigine shows promise in managing post-surgical pain at leading orthopedic hospital

Apr. 20, 2026 at 6:39am

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray-style image revealing the intricate bone and cartilage structures of a human knee joint, conceptually representing the targeted approach of the new non-opioid pain medication suzetrigine.An X-ray-like visualization of the complex joint structures that the new non-opioid pain medication suzetrigine aims to target, offering a promising alternative to opioids for post-surgical pain relief.NYC Today

A retrospective study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) found that a newly available non-opioid pain reliever, suzetrigine (JOURNAVX®), was generally well tolerated by postoperative orthopedic surgery patients. The medication, approved by the FDA in January 2025, is the first non-opioid pain reliever released in more than 25 years and works differently from standard pain relievers by targeting pain signals on the nerves outside of the brain.

Why it matters

The study represents an important step forward in advancing non-opioid pain management options, which is crucial given the ongoing opioid crisis and the need for safer, non-addictive pain relief options, especially for patients undergoing major orthopedic procedures.

The details

The HSS team evaluated 103 patients who took suzetrigine after a variety of surgical procedures, primarily joint arthroplasty or spine surgery. Eight patients (7.8%) experienced at least one adverse reaction and stopped the medication, while the remaining 95 patients (92.2%) generally tolerated it well. Researchers hope to further study the drug's efficacy in reducing opioid use and its benefits for patients who cannot tolerate opioids.

  • The medication, suzetrigine (JOURNAVX®), was FDA-approved in January 2025 and became available at HSS in April 2025.
  • The retrospective study was presented at the 51st Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting in 2026.

The players

Alexandra Sideris

PhD, Director of the Pain Prevention Research Center at HSS.

Faye Rim

MD, FAAPMR, a physiatrist and pain management specialist within the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management at HSS.

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)

The world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health, ranked No. 1 in orthopedics for 16 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.

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What they’re saying

“What's exciting about this new medication is that it is targeting pain signal on the nerves outside of the brain, so you're presumably getting to the acute pain source right at the time where that happens. Early studies also suggest that it's devoid of those classical addictive properties that opioids have.”

— Alexandra Sideris, PhD, Director of the Pain Prevention Research Center at HSS

“We need to look more carefully at why certain patients may not do as well on this medication as we think they would. It's not a panacea, but it's definitely promising.”

— Faye Rim, MD, FAAPMR, a physiatrist and pain management specialist within the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management at HSS

What’s next

Researchers at HSS plan to conduct further studies evaluating the efficacy of suzetrigine in various surgical populations, including patients undergoing total hip replacements, as well as determine which patients may benefit the most from the medication.

The takeaway

The HSS study represents an important advancement in the quest for non-opioid pain relief options, particularly for patients undergoing major orthopedic procedures. While more research is needed, the promising results with suzetrigine suggest it could play a valuable role in reducing opioid use and providing safer pain management for surgical patients.