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LONG BRANCH, N.J., February 7, 2011 – A new pain management system at Monmouth Medical Center is redefining patient recovery from total joint replacement surgery.
The On-Q C-bloc is a medical device used to infuse local anesthetic into a catheter implanted in a patient’s body during surgery to alleviate post-operative pain. The On Q Pump works by infusing pain medication directly into the nerve sheath through a catheter continuously for up to five days.
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Monmouth Medical Center chairman of anesthesiology Matthew Klein, M.D., discusses the On-Q C-bloc, a new medical device used to alleviate post-operative pain, in joint replacement surgery patients, with from left, anesthesiologist Dan-Thuy Tran, M.D., and joint and spine clinical coordinator Jaclyn Conway. |
This system provides pain medication specifically to the part of the body affected by surgery, supplying pain relief to patients for anywhere from 12 hours to five days, according to Matthew Klein, M.D., chairman of anesthesiology at Monmouth Medical Center.
"The On Q Pain Pump offers patients a new way to control pain after joint replacement surgery," Dr. Klein says. "Rather than just using high doses of narcotics to control the pain, the On Q Pain Pump offers patients a way to treat pain only at the site of the surgery, avoiding grogginess and other side effects of traditional methods."
The system works through a catheter that is inserted into the patient next to the nerve that supplies the surgical site and is attached to a balloon pump that delivers the medication. The flow of medication is set by the anesthesiologist and is dispensed at a very slow rate, regardless of whether the medication will be administered for only 12 hours or longer.
Dr. Klein — who leads a department that provides state-of-the-art care for approximately 17,000 patients undergoing a host of surgical procedures each year— notes that a great feature of this system is that the chance of breakthrough pain is decreased because the medication is being administered directly to the nerves supplying the surgical site, numbing the nerves by the surgical incision. He says his department prides itself on maintaining a commitment to stay up to date with the latest advancements in anesthesia technology.
"The catheter used with this system is specific to this method of dispensing medication and has multiple holes through which the medication is dispensed, allowing it to be administered across a larger area," he says. “The ON-Q system gets patients back to normal faster by automatically and continuously delivering a local anesthetic to relieve post-operative pain."
The On-Q system is a part of the comprehensive pain management program of the Total Joint Program at Monmouth Medical Center — which is dedicated to the care of hip and knee joint replacement surgery patients. The goal of the program is to provide around-the-clock, high-quality, compassionate care so that following surgery, patients are comfortable, informed and ready to start their recovery.
In addition to the pain management program, Monmouth Medical Center's Total Joint Program highlights include a designated Total Joint Unit that is staffed by nurses and therapists who specialize in the care of spine and joint patients, designated and specialized total joint operating room teams, a total joint coordinator and physical therapists dedicated to increasing mobility and building strength and occupational therapists to instruct patients on activities of daily living.
To learn more about the Total Joint Program at Monmouth Medical Center, call 732-923-7971.
February 7, 2011
CONTACT: Kristine Brown
Director of Public Relations at
(732) 557-3902
krbrown@barnabashealth.org
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