CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southeast Pain Care, an affiliate of MEDNAX, is one of the first facilities in North Carolina to use a new neurostimulation device designed to relieve the sensation of pain in patients suffering from chronic intractable pain. The device, known as the St. Jude Medical Axium™ Neurostimulator System for dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation, was first used to support Deann Warner, a 42-year-old patient suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in her left leg.
DRG stimulation with the Axium system has been shown to be particularly effective for treating pain in areas such as the groin, lower leg and feet. The Axium system is approved for use in the U.S., Europe and Australia.
Troy Gingerich, M.D., an anesthesiologist at Southeast Pain Care in Charlotte, N.C. implanted the St. Jude Medical Axium system, because the patient, Deann Warner, was experiencing excruciating pain that affected her ability to perform day-to-day activities.
“After implanting the device, the patient’s pain symptoms had disappeared as well as the physical symptoms associated with CRPS, such as redness and swelling,” said Dr. Gingerich. “As a physician, it’s very gratifying to know that patients are getting the relief they need with visible results.”
Dr. Gingerich is one of three physicians in North Carolina trained to perform the procedure, and the only one in the Charlotte area to have implanted the device. Unlike traditional neurostimulation devices, the St. Jude Medical Axium system targets the DRG, a spinal structure densely populated with sensory nerves that transmit information to the brain via the spinal cord. This first-of-its-kind device delivers a form of spinal stimulation that can target the specific areas of the body where pain occurs. Patients suffering from chronic lower limb pain associated with CRPS who have previously tried multiple treatment options without receiving adequate pain relief.
According to the Institute of Medicine, chronic pain affects more than 100 million Americans, an incidence rate which outpaces heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Research suggests that, in total, the condition costs the American population an estimated 515 million workdays annually and generates upwards of 40 million visits to physicians each year.
“Before the procedure, I was bedridden and the pain got so bad to the point that I wouldn’t allow anyone to touch my leg,” said Deann Warner. “After my DRG procedure, the pain has decreased significantly, and the color of my leg is returning back to normal which was unexpected. For the first time in almost ten years I am able to do activities that my CRPS prevented me from doing.”
About Southeast Pain Care
Southeast Pain Care (SEPC), an affiliate of MEDNAX, is an interventional pain management clinic with locations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. At SEPC board certified physicians in anesthesiology or neurology provide patients with custom, multi-faceted treatment plans for a wide range of pain conditions including back pain, nerve pain, arthritis, sciatica, CRPS and sports injuries.
MEDNAX, Inc. is a national health solutions partner comprised of the nation's leading providers of physician services. Physicians and advanced practitioners practicing as part of MEDNAX are reshaping the delivery of care within their specialties and subspecialties, using evidence-based tools, continuous quality initiatives, clinical research and telemedicine to enhance patient outcomes and provide high-quality, cost-effective care.
Additional information is available at www.mednax.com and www.sepaincare.com.