Dec 14 2007
Capsulated Systems, Inc. at its Ithaca, NY operation recently announced it has developed a new proprietary micro-particle system that provides prolonged post-operative pain relief lasting at least five days in vivo according to its president and co-inventor, Roland Lynch.
This technology addresses the need identified by Dr. Eldridge Anderson, an Ithaca, NY orthopedic surgeon, for a long acting local anesthetic without the common side effects of opiates such as dizziness, nausea, and the potential for dependency.
The micro-particles containing a safe, commonly used local anesthetic drug have been injected perineurally but the possibility exists for them to be applied in depot during surgery or injected during an office visit. Full sensory function returns in about a week. The system may lessen the need to prescribe opioid medications such as oxycodone or hydrocodone after surgery, thus avoiding the undesirable side effects associated with these medications. In addition, the new system may allow for a speedier recovery and increased patient participation in physical therapy, significantly aiding the healing process. In initial experiments, the micro- particles did not cause any nerve nor tissue damage.
Unlike other similar approaches, this system does not require the use of any additional medications to enhance or extend the duration of its effectiveness. CSI's lead inventor and scientist, Dr. Lwandiko Masinde, and his team have dedicated two years to developing this micro-particle technology. The section of Anesthesiology at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, led by Dr. Luis Campoy, performed the in vivo studies of the micro-particle system and will conduct further tests to confirm its safety and efficacy for reducing pain. In addition, another section of Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine will soon begin evaluating the micro-particle system's efficacy for reducing chronic pain. Patent protection on the system is pending.
All components of the micro-particle system are FDA approved. Pharmaceutical companies have shown interest in licensing the system.