CENTERVILLE, Ohio — Snails. Most people think little of these small creatures, aside from the stories of their slow movement, or the unusual French dining option. In a pain management center in Centerville, Ohio, these creatures are also taking a turn in helping others – by providing relief to patients living a life filled with chronic pain. The Pain Evaluation & Management Center of Ohio had been offering patients the use of Prialt(R), a substance derived from snail venom, to help patients manage their pain, and live better, more fulfilling lives.
Prialt(R) is an FDA approved treatment that is acts as a calcium channel blocker, relieving severe and chronic pain, similar to morphine – but without the narcotic effects, including withdrawal. It is used in a small pump that is inserted into the patient’s body. When needed, the pump injects the medication directly into the patient’s spine, blocking the pain signals normally sent to the brain.
When asked about this unusual treatment, Dr. Richard Doninni, the Clinic Director of the Pain Management & Evaluation Center of Ohio, had the following comment.
“Prialt has been around for quite some time, and has been used for over five years; however insurers were unwilling to pay for this treatment until recently, since there was limited literature and documentation of the efficiency of this drug. In the past few years, however, there have been several studies that have shown Prialt should be now be considered one of the primary medications used in intrathecal spinal pumps for the treatment of a variety of severe chronic pain syndromes. These include failed spinal surgery syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, arachnoiditis, as well as many other chronic pain conditions.”
“The amazing thing about Prialt is that it is not a narcotic substance, and it can be used on patients who are intolerant of narcotics, or who are not good candidates for the use of opiates or narcotics. In the past, the only other primary drug that was as effective in a intrathecal pump was morphine, with its potential side effects, including the possibility of addiction and/or withdrawal.”
The use of Prialt(R), or ziconotide intrathecal infusion, was approved by the FDA in 2004 for severe chronic pain, and is produced by the Elan Corporation. Prialt(R) can cause a variety of different neuropsychological side effects, but they are fairly rare and self-limiting. Since there is no withdrawal effect, the dosage of Prialt(R) can be reduced drastically if such side effects do occur.
Dr. Doninni said “Prialt has a bright future in the treatment of severe chronic pain. With insurers and practitioner now coming online with the treatment, we have a significant new method of providing relief to the patients with severe, chronic pain conditions – and without the narcotic effects of the past. We are happy to see the emerging acceptance of this treatment, and its ability to provide pain relief to patients who need it, and had no options in the past.”
The Pain Evaluation & Management Center of Ohio is located at 1550 Yankee Park Place, Suite A, in Centerville, Ohio. The Center has an experienced and dedicated staff, including the clinic director, Dr. Richard Doninni, and has been the leader in pain management in Southwest Ohio for over 17 years. To learn more about Dr. Doninni, Prialt(R), and the Pain Evaluation & Management Center of Ohio, you can visit their website at http://www.daytonpain.com, or call the center at 937-439-4949.
Send2Press(R) is the originating wire service for this story, Copr. 2009.
[tags]Richard Doninni, Prialt, Pain Evaluation and Management Center[/tags]
