Non-Narcotic Anesthetic Targeted to Surgical Site

A new postoperative pain relief system is designed to provide relief directly to an incision site and reduce the need for narcotics.

The system provides pain relief only where the body needs it. The anesthetic is administered through a tiny specially-designed catheter inserted during surgery. A small balloon pump delivers the local anesthetic directly to the surgical site for up to five days.
The system, which has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is appropriate for cardiovascular/thoracic surgery, hysterectomies, cesarean sections, mastectomies, and knee replacement surgery. The system, called ON-Q, was developed by I-Flow Corp. (Lake Forest, CA, USA).

A study at the Yale University School of Medicine (New Haven, CT, USA) measuring the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of reducing narcotics intake following cesarean section is evaluating the use of ON-Q.

"We eagerly anticipate the results of this study, which will potentially show that this group of patients can be alert during recovery, breast feed without concern for narcotic transmission to their babies, and bond with their newborns sooner because the use of narcotics is limited,” said Dr. Ebenezer Babalola, of the obstetrics and gynecology department at Yale.





Related Links:
I-Flow Corp
Yale