Orthopaedics

MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE FOR BACK PAIN

Computed tomography (CT)-guided pulsed radio-frequency therapy is effective in patients with acute or sub-acute radicular pain caused by lumbar disc herniation, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America held from 26 November to 1 December in Chicago.

Specialists treated 80 patients with acute or sub-acute neuro-radicular back pain that was resistant to conventional therapy. Patients were treated with a probe-tipped 22-20 G needle electrode directed toward the symptomatic dorsal root ganglion under CT guidance. Pulsed radio-frequency was delivered for 10 minutes at 45 V.

The results were extraordinary. Patients were relieved of pain and resumed their normal activities within the day.

Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine are working on a safe, non-addictive painkiller. The experimental compound AT-121 has now been tested in animals, The Medical Express reports. It not only relieves pain effectively but also makes opioid analgesics unnecessary.
AT-121 acts both on the mu-opioid receptor (the target of the strongest painkillers) and on the nociceptin receptor (which blocks dependence and the negative side-effects caused by mu-receptor activation). Opioids such as oxycodone and fentanyl act only on the mu-receptor and cause side-effects including respiratory depression, addiction and increased pain sensitivity.
The experiment showed that AT-121 produced the same relief as opioids, but at a dose 100 times lower than the morphine dose used. In parallel, the new compound reduced dependence on oxycodone.