Kent H. Nouri, M.D.
Department of Pain Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, and Pain Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Professor, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2004 | Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, US, MD |
Postgraduate Training
| 2016-2016 | Executive Education Course, Value-Based Health Care Delivery, Harvard Business School, Houston, Texas |
| 2014-2016 | Clinical Ethics Program, Section of Integrated Ethics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2008-2009 | Clinical Fellowship, Pain Management, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2005-2008 | Clinical Residency, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Texas at Houston, Houston, Texas |
| 2004-2005 | Clinical Internship, General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2009 | Texas Medical Board |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2017 - 2024
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2010 - 2017
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Transitional Pain Service Co-Chair, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2020 - Present
Pain Medicine Big Survey Task Force Chair, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2019 - Present
Professionalism Committee, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2017 - Present
Pain Medicine Clinical Operations Committee, Anesthesiology & PeriOper Med, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2013 - Present
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Fellowship Selection Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, Anesthesia Division Finance Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - Present
Member, Perioperative Service Value Analysis Team, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - Present
Member, Anesthesia and Critical Care Value Analysis Team, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - Present
Member, Operating Room Subcommittee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - Present
Member, Medical Practice Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2014 - 2018
Member, Practitioner Peer Assistance Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2013 - 2018
Member, Pain Task Force, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Editorial Activities
Reviewer, European Journal of Medical Research, 2025 - Present
Reviewer, Pain Medicine Case Reports, 2019 - Present
Editor, Interventional Pain Management Reports, 2016 - Present
Editorial Review Board Member, Pain Physician, 2013 - Present
Oncology Section Editor, Pain Medicine News, 2013 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2009 | Outstanding Patient Care Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Pain Medicine |
| 2008 - 2009 | Chief Resident, Baylor College of Medicine/University of Texas Houston Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Alliance |
| 2000 - 2004 | Vice President, Baylor College of Medicine Class of 2004 |
| 1999 | Summa Cum Laude, The University of Houston |
| 1997 - 1999 | National Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa |
| 1995 - 1999 | President's Honor Roll, The University of Houston |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2023. Pain Management Beyond Opioids. Pain Management Beyond Opioids. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Interventional Cancer Pain Management. Conference. Interventional Cancer Pain Management. Houston, TX, US.
- 2014. Pediatric Pain. Conference. Pediatric Pain. Houston, TX, US.
- 2011. Cancer Pain Management. Conference. Cancer Pain Management. Houston, TX, US.
- 2010. The History of Pain. Conference. The History of Pain. Houston, TX, US.
- 2008. A Technological Analysis of Gait. Conference. A Technological Analysis of Gait. Houston, TX, US.
- 2007. Rare Sources of Lower Back Pain: Their Manifestations and Diagnostic Approaches. Conference. Rare Sources of Lower Back Pain: Their Manifestations and Diagnostic Approaches. Houston, TX, US.
- 2007. Exploring the Utility of Electrodiagnostic Testing to Evaluate for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. Conference. Exploring the Utility of Electrodiagnostic Testing to Evaluate for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. Houston, TX, US.
- 2007. Interventional Pain Management. Conference. Interventional Pain Management. Houston, TX, US.
- 2006. Botox and Physical Therapy in the Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome. Conference. Botox and Physical Therapy in the Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome. Houston, TX, US.
- 2006. Exploring the Efficacy of Gabapentin for Neuropathic Cancer Pain. Conference. Exploring the Efficacy of Gabapentin for Neuropathic Cancer Pain. Houston, TX, US.
- 2006. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in the Pediatric Population. Conference. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in the Pediatric Population. Houston, TX, US.
- 2005. Anatomy and Function of the Lumbar Spine. Conference. Anatomy and Function of the Lumbar Spine. Houston, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2022. Interventional Treatments for Brachioradial Pruritis. Conference. Interventional Treatments for Brachioradial Pruritis. Miami, FL, US.
- 2021. Intrathecal Pump Rejection. Conference. Intrathecal Pump Rejection. Las Vegas, NV, US.
International Presentations
- 2019. Updates in Cancer Pain Management. Invited. Amman, JO.
- 2019. Surgical Management of Pain. Visiting, JO.
- 2019. Cancer Pain Management. Visiting. Hanoi, VN.
- 2018. Interventional Cancer Pain Management. Invited. Stockholm, SE.
- 2016. Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. Invited. Moscow, RU.
- 2015. Cancer Pain Management. Invited. Beijing, CN.
- 2014. Advances in Neuromodulation: From Molecules to Functional Outcomes. Invited. Buenos Aires, AR.
- 2013. Pediatric Cancer Pain. Invited. Stockholm, SE.
Formal Peers
- 2019. Advanced & Complicated Fluoroscopic Pain Treatments. Invited. Amman, JO.
- 2019. Surgical Management of Pain. Invited, JO.
- 2019. Cancer Pain Management. Invited, VN.
- 2018. Pediatric Pain. Invited. Mekelle, ET.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Sheen, S, Hasan, P, Sun, X, Wang, J, Tatsui, CE, Nouri, KH, Javed, S. Retrospective Assessment of Adjacent Fracture Risks in Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty, and Bone-Tumor Radiofrequency Ablation. Pain Practice 26(6), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42366910.
- Sheen, S, Hasan, P, Sun, X, Wang, J, Tatsui, CE, Nouri, KH, Javed, S. Retrospective Analysis of Cement Extravasation Rates in Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty, and Bone Tumor Radiofrequency Ablation. Journal of Clinical Medicine 14(9), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40363941.
- Zhang H, Lo T, Nouri KH. Transient Dorsal Cord Syndrome After Splanchnic Neurolysis: A Case Report. Pain Med Case Rep 9(1):5-8, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40257333.
- Sheen, S, Nouri, KH. Sustained relief with spinal cord stimulator despite anterior lead migration. Pain management 14(9):487-490, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39364878.
- Roldan CJ, Huh B, Song J, Nieto Y, Osei J, Chai T, Nouri KH, Koyyalagunta L, Bruera E. Methylene blue for intractable pain from oral mucositis related to cancer treatment: a randomized phase 2 clinical trial. BMC Med 20(1):377, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36324139.
- Javed S, Nouri KH. Unsuccessful spinal cord stimulator re-trial from failure to capture in a patient with prior successful trial. Pain Medicine Case Reports 4(3), 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Roldan CJ, Nouri KH, Chai T, Huh B. Methylene Blue for the Treatment of Intractable Pain Associated with Oral Mucositis. Pain Practice 17(8):1115-1121, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28226414.
- Manchikanti, L, Kaye, AM, Knezevic, NN, McAnally, H, Trescot, AM, Blank, S, Pampati, V, Abdi, S, Grider, J, Kaye, AD, Manchikanti, KN, Cordner, HJ, Gharibo, CG, Harned, ME, Albers, SL, Atluri, SL, Aydin, SM, Bakshi, S, Barkin, R, Benyamin, RM, Boswell, MV, Buenaventura, RM, Calodney, AK, Cedeno, DL, Datta, S, Deer, TR, Fellows, B, Galan, V, Grami, V, Hansen, HC, Helm, S, Justiz, R, Koyyalagunta, D, Malla, Y, Navani, A, Nouri, KH, Pasupuleti, R, Sehgal, N, Silverman, S, Simopoulos, TT, Singh, V, Slavin, KV, Solanki, DR, Staats, PS, Vallejo, R, Wargo, BW, Watanabe, A, Hirsch, JA. Responsible, safe, and effective prescription of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Pain physician 20(2):S3-S92, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28226332.
- Chai T, Thakur S, Linville C, Shroff G, Nouri K. Pictorial compilation of complications after vertebral augmentation procedures for pathologic fractures in the cancer patient. Pain Practice 16(38), 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Grider JS, Manchikanti L, Carayannopoulos A, Sharma ML, Balog CC, Harned ME, Grami V, Justiz R, Nouri KH, Hayek SM, Vallejo R, Christo PJ. Effectiveness of Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review. Pain Physician 19(1):E33-54, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26752493.
- Chai T, Bruel BM, Nouri KH, Driver L. Complications after intrathecal drug delivery due to the underlying malignancy in two patients with intractable cancer pain. Pain Physician 16(2):E107-11, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23511685.
- Burton AW, Mendoza T, Gebhardt R, Hamid B, Nouri KH, Perez-Toro M, Ting J, Koyyalagunta D. Vertebral compression fracture treatment with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: experience in 407 patients with 1,156 fractures in a tertiary cancer center. Pain Medicine 12((12)):1750-7, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22123171.
- Nouri KH, Brish EL. Spinal cord stimulation for testicular pain. Pain Medicine 12(9):1435-8, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21914122.
- Bloodworth, D, Perez-Toro, MR, Nouri, KH. Neurological deficits after epidural steroid injection. Pain Medicine 9(SUPPL. 1):S41-S57, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
- Bloodworth DM, Nouri KH, Perez-Toro MR. Neurological deficits after epidural steroid injection: Time course, differential diagnoses, management and prognosis suggested by review of case reports. Pain Medicine 9 (s1):S41-S57, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
- Nouri KH, Kevorkian CG, Nisbet JJ. Neurosarcoidosis presenting with lower-back and leg pain. American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 86(1):1-2, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17304681.
Invited Articles
- Sheen S, Nouri KH. Sustained Relief with Spinal Cord Stimulator Despite Anterior Lead Migration: A Case Report. Pain Management 14(9), 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Thakur S, Nouri KH. Vertebral Augmentation. Scientific American Pain Management, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Cao J, Nouri KH. Intrathecal Pump Wound Dehiscence With Spontaneous Closure. Pain Medicine Case Reports.
Review Articles
- Zhang H, Lo T, Nouri KH. Transient Dorsal Cord Syndrome after Splanchnic Neurolysis. Cureus(10):7759, 2023.
- Koyyalagunta D, Bruera E, Solanki DR, Nouri KH, Burton AW, Toro MP, Bruel BM, Manchikanti L. A systematic review of randomized trials on the effectiveness of opioids for cancer pain. Pain Physician 15(3 Suppl):ES39-58, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22786461.
Professional Educational Materials
- Thakur S, Nouri KH. Vertebral Augmentation. Scientific American, 2018.
Abstracts
- l L, Chai T, Nouri KH. Head and Neck Pain after Parotidectomy in a Patient with Facial Angiosarcoma Relieved with Glossopharyngeal Nerve Block, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Polson G, Nouri KH. Neuropathic Pain in Cat Scratch Disease, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Sidharthan S, Nouri KH. Novel Approach for Treatment of Iliopsoas Tumor Post-Operative Pain. North American Neuromodulation Society 2024 Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Chopra P, Nouri KH. Interventional Treatments for Brachioradial Pruritis, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Javed S, Nouri KH. Unsuccessful spinal cord stimulator re-trial from failure to capture in patient with prior successful trial, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Nouri KH, Antflick A. Fluoroscopically guided bilateral medial branch block as a treatment option for bilateral pars interarticularis fractures, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Chai T, Nouri KH, Thakur S, Linville C, Shroff G, Nouri K. Pictorial compilation of complications after vertebral augmentation procedures for pathologic fractures in the cancer patient, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Le C, Nouri KH. SCS: Do All Patients Require a Trial? The Benefits of a Combined Trial and Implant, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Roldan C, Nouri KH. Iliocostalis thoracis-lumborum myofascial pain in the emergency department, a diagnostic challenge, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Nouri KH, Burke H. Spinal cord stimulation for testicular pain, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
- Burton AW, Nouri KH, Dang A, Mendoza T, Perez-Toro M, Ting J, Gebhardt R, Phan MV, Koyyalagunta D. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty successfully reduce pain in cancer patients with vertebral compression fractures, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
- Cao J, Nouri KH. Intrathecal Pump Wound Dehiscence With Spontaneous Closure. New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Nouri KH. Cluneal Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Pelvic Pathology. North American Neuromodulation Society Annual Meeting.
- Nouri KH. Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation for Treatment of Refractory Pelvic Pain. New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians Annual Meeting.
Book Chapters
- Nouri, KH, Abdi, S. Lumbosacral radicular pain, 203-208, 2018.
- Nouri KH, Dougherty P, al E. The Neurochemistry of Somatosensory and Pain Processing. In: Essentials of Pain Medicine 4th Edition, 2016.
- Nouri KH, Abdi S. Spinal epiduroscopic mechanical adhesiolysis. In: Atlas of Spinal Endoscopy, 2015.
- Huh B, Nouri KH. Superior hypogastric blocks. In: Multimodal Imaging in Interventional Pain Management, 2014.
- Nouri KH, Abdi S. Lumbosacral radicular pain. In: Fundamentals of Pain Medicine, 2014.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 18, 2026