Sun Newspapers Physician & Medical Spring & Summer Guide 2021

The specialty of Interventional Pain Medicine continues to rapidly advance and improve the care of people in pain of all ages. There are new therapies available to patients that have not found long-term relief from simple procedures such as nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, or radiofrequency ablation. INTRACEPT PROCEDURE FOR LOW BACK PAIN One of the most ground-breaking procedures for the treatment of low back pain is the Intracept Procedure for degenerative disc disease. The most experienced physicians in our region utilizing this new "game-changing" treatment are at Southwest Florida Pain Center. This is a minimally invasive procedure that targets the basivertebral nerve for the relief of chronic low back pain. This outpatient procedure takes about an hour to perform and provides relief from low back pain where other treatments have failed. THE VERTIFLEX PROCEDURE The Vertifl ex procedure utilizes the Superion implant spacer to treat moderate lumbar spinal stenosis. By making a tiny incision a spacer is inserted between the spinous processes improving the narrowing of the canal. In studies evaluating the Superion device, 90% of patients indicated they were satisfi ed with the procedure noting 81% improvement in physical functioning and 75% improvement in leg pain over the long-term. This rapidly advancing procedure is best suited for patients that have weakness/numbness and pain in the back and legs while standing or walking. PARETHESIA-FREE SPINAL CORD STIMULATION Spinal cord stimulation devices have rapidly advanced such that now patients are able to experience pain relief utilizing stimulation that is imperceptible for the patient. This is a major advance in the treatment of patients with neuropathy, failed back surgery pain, or traumatic injuries to the upper and lower extremities. In the past, patients traded a buzzing sensation for pain relief. Over time, patients became less likely to use their devices because of this additional sensation. Now however, we are able to implant devices that activate the body's own ability to inhibit pain at the spinal cord level and therefore the patient feels no stimulation at all- unless desired by the patient. This is known as parethesia-free or "no-feel" stimulation that can result in dramatic pain relief for many patients. The candidate patient is initially given an opportunity to "test-drive" or trial the device and if pain relief is achieved during this test period, then the device is permanently implanted. The permanent implant does not require invasive spine surgery. NALU Battery-free NEUROMODULATION SYSTEM The physicians of Southwest Florida Pain Center are currently inviting patients to enroll in a large, multi-center, clinical post-marketing research study for the innovative and ground-breaking NALU neuromodulation system. An excellent advancement in neuromodulation, the NALU device can be used to provide spinal cord stimulation or peripheral nerve stimulation without the use of an implanted battery. In fact, the computer device implanted to provide pain relief is the size of a dime! Excellent for patients that have pain after back surgery. DORSAL ROOT GANGLION STIMULATION Indicated for pain due to trauma or neuropathy, dorsal root ganglion therapy can target effectively an individual body part such as the foot, leg, knee, or groin. This therapy is very effective for the treatment of pain due to complex regional pain syndromes and has been used successfully to treat pain after shingles (postherpetic neuralgia) and other severe neuropathies in the lower extremities or trunk. For example, DRG therapy can be very helpful for patients that have chronic pain after hernia surgery. THE SIMPLICITY PROCEDURE AND SACROILIAC TRANSCUTANEOUS FUSION Indicated for patients with recurrent pain in the sacro-iliac joint that has not responded to sacroiliac joint injections, the SIMPLICITY radiofrequency ablation procedure is a unique procedure utilizing a specialized instrument that shapes itself along the SI joint providing the most effective radiofrequency technique available to provide relief of pain from the Sacro-iliac joint. There simply is no comparison to the effectiveness of the SIMPLICITY probe versus traditional RFA techniques. In the most severe cases of SI joint mediated pain, a small implant can be guided into the SI joint using fl uoroscopy and a small incision in the skin. This small implant can help prevent painful motion of the joint and is minimally-invasive. MINIMALLY INVASIVE LUMBAR DECOMPRESSION (M.I.L.D. PROCEDURE) The MILD procedure is indicated for patients that suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis due to ligamentum fl avum hypertrophy. This procedure is performed through percutaneous (not open) decompression of the thick ligamentum fl avum and can be an excellent option for patients that desire the least invasive treatment option. The effect is thinning of this superfi cial, easily accessible ligament that is a contributor to the spinal canal narrowing. For patients suffering from back and leg pain while walking and standing, this can be an excellent option especially in the setting up patients that may also have a history of cardiac problems or osteoporosis where the least invasive option is most desirable. TARGETED RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION OF METASTATIC TUMORS Indicated for patients with pain caused by metastatic tumors, treatment is performed under fl uoroscopic guided access of the body of the vertebra via a light weight, steerable device, allowing for the destruction of the tumor via radiofrequency heat. The patient is sedated and comfortable during the procedure. It does not affect chemotherapy or radiation therapy and these treatments can be performed at any time before, during or after these traditional therapies. FACIAL PAIN AND TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA The physician specialists at Southwest Florida Pain Center are equipped with the specialized equipment, training, and experience to treat complicated pain in the head and face utilizing nerve blocks, neurolytic medicines, and radiofrequency ablation. Patients my experience pain after dental procedures, TMJ joint pain, shingles, and trigeminal neuralgia. We are eager to treat these complicated and often debilitating conditions. The Newest and Most Advanced Minimally Invasive Treatments For Chronic Pain are available at Southwest Florida Pain Center 1 9 6 2 1 C o c h r a n B l v d # 3 | P o r t C h a r l o t t e , F L 3 3 9 4 8 • 9 4 1 - 6 2 7 - 9 0 9 5 • 1 2 9 9 J a c a r a n d a B l v d | Ve n i c e , F L 3 4 2 7 5 LEARN MORE or MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT www.painmanagement.org adno=3787907-1 Abraham Fura, D.O. American Board of Anesthesiology American Board of Pain Medicine Ramos Center 1370 E. Venice Avenue, Suite 104 Venice, FL 34285 2540 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34239 Phone: (941) 708-9555 www.RamosCenter.com Lee M. James, D.O. Board Certi ed Interventional Pain Management and PM&R 1641 Tamiami Trail Port Charlotte, FL 33948 Phone: (941) 629-6262 adno=3785152-1 Lindsey Job, M.D. Chief Executive Of cer Board Certi ed Anesthesiologist Board Certi ed Interventional Pain Specialist Restore Medical Partners 842 Sunset Lake Blvd, Suite 301 Venice, FL 34292 Phone: (941) 441-9171 Fax: (941) 786-3333 www.restoremedicalpartners.com adno=3788220-1 adno=3788224-1 Liam Fitzpatrick, M.D. Interventional Pain Specialist Restore Medical Partners 333 S Tamiami Trl, Suite 101 Venice, FL 34285 Phone: (941) 375-3006 Fax: (941) 218-4825 www.restoremedicalpartners.com PAIN MANAGEMENT PHYSICIAN & MEDICAL GUIDE Spring & Summer 2021 42

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