Non-Narcotic System Relieves Pain in Surgical Patients

Click to go to our Home Page


SYSTEM RELIEVES PAIN IN SURGICAL PATIENTS

People recovering from surgery now have a new option for pain relief that allows them to avoid oral narcotics, which can have severe side effects, such as confusion, respiratory depression, nausea, and constipation. The ON-Q Pain Management System consists of a small round pump filled with a non-narcotic local painkiller that is attached to a small tube and inserted during surgery. The pump slowly delivers the painkiller for one to five days following the operation. Once the anesthesia is gone, either the doctor or the patient can remove the pump. Doctors at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, California, are using the system for many common surgeries including colon and heart procedures, cesarean delivery, and hernia repair. Patients using the system have experienced better pain relief and have required shorter recovery periods and hospital stays than people receiving traditional narcotic therapy