Interventional Pain Management: Opioid-Sparing Technologies

The ancient Sumerians first cultivated the poppy plant for its opium in 3000 BC. The analgesic properties of opium were formalized into morphine and later commercialized by Merck Pharmaceuticals in 1827. To this date, morphine and its derivatives are effectively used for treating acute pain.

In recent years, however, the overuse of opioids to treat chronic nonmalignant pain has contributed to the prescription opioid epidemic. As society has recognized this problem and our government has stepped into opioid crisis efforts, we turn to technology in treating chronic pain as an alternative to opioid medications. This presentation is targeted for general practitioners and current pain management physicians.

We will explore the evolution of pain medicine leading up to the current and future opioid-sparing interventional pain treatment options. Specifically, we will focus on electroceuticals (spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation), minimally invasive spinal decompression spacers, and percutaneous sacroiliac joint fusion.