Why Are Devices the Last-in-Line Treatment for Chronic Pain?

Between 2000 and 2016, more than 600,000 people died from drug overdoses. More than half of those deaths involved opioids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the amount of opioids prescribed is gradually decreasing, it's still too high—about three times as high as in 1999, a CDC report states. CDC guidelines call for using acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, exercise therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for chronic pain. Guidelines don't list minimally invasive care such as spinal cord stimulators (SCS) and other neuromodulation devices. However, some studies show these devices reduce chronic pain, allowing patients to reduce or eliminate prescription pain medication. A January 2017 study sponsored by Abbott, which develops and manufactures both SCS and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) systems, found average daily opioid use declined or stabilized for 70% of chronic pain patients who received an SCS system, compared to opioid use before the implant. A 2015 study found that about 60% of patients who received DRG stimulation experienced more than a 50% reduction in pain after one year, with some reporting up to 80% improvement. Roger Chou, MD, a CDC guidelines co-author and professor of medicine in the Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Division at Oregon Health & Science University, argues the risks outweigh the benefits. "Spinal cord stimulators and related modalities may have some role in manageme...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Electronics Source Type: news