A Central Texas First – New Tool in Treatment of CRPS in Austin

Dr. Matt Schocket of an advanced Austin pain management clinic known for many firsts in the field of pain relief has successfully implanted the very first dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRG) system in central Texas. The procedure was performed at Specialty Surgery Center in Austin, TX.

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, received FDA approval for its Medical Axium Neurostimulator System for DRG stimulation. According to the company, the approval of DRG stimulation will ensure access to a superior therapeutic approach for treating moderate to severe chronic intractable pain of the lower limbs in adult patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS I and II). Todd Dawson of St. Jude Medical was quite pleased with having Dr. Schocket performing the implantation of the device.

Dr. Schocket, a respected doctor among Austin Pain Management Physicians and Specialists who frequently holds national and international lectures on pain management and new developments in techniques states, “The DRG is a spinal structure densely populated with sensory nerves that transmit information to the brain via the spinal cord. Stimulation via the new device from St. Jude Medical allows doctors to treat the specific areas of the body where pain occurs. We at the Capitol Pain Institute selected the Axium neurostimulator system as it is the only therapeutic approach of its kind designed to treat moderate to severe chronic intractable pain of the lower limbs in adult patients with CRPS. Unfortunately, patients with CRPS are often underserved by conventional medical management and many interventional pain procedures. We are excited to bring a new treatment option for pain to Austin and central Texas.”

Dr. Timothy Deer of the Center for Pain Relief concurred, “Although many chronic pain patients can find relief from a traditional spinal cord stimulation device, many patients suffering from focal chronic pain including CRPS don’t receive adequate pain relief from spinal cord stimulation.”

Dr. Schocket added, “Incorporating this new therapeutic tool of dorsal root ganglion stimulation to our pain institute a is a gratifying step in the treatment of chronic intractable pain, especially of the extremities, including elbow, hand, groin, knee, and foot. I marveled at the speed in which I am able to reach and stimulate the dorsal root ganglion, something I was unable to do before the Axium neurostimulator system. For the first time, I now have a device designed specifically for the large and growing number of under-treated chronic pain patients who we can now fully serve.”

According to the Institute of Medicine, neuropathic pain represents one of the most prevalent yet under-treated forms of chronic pain in the United States, with an estimated one in every 10 adults over the age of 30 suffering from the condition. Additionally, chronic pain affects more than 100 million Americans, an incidence rate which outpaces heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Initial results from the ACCURATE IDE study, the largest study to date evaluating patients suffering from neuropathic chronic intractable pain associated with CRPS I and II or peripheral causalgia (PC), showed DRG stimulation provided patients with superior pain relief over traditional tonic SCS.

“The first Axium system implant in the central Texas reflects Capitol Pain Institute’s on-going commitment to deliver on our promise to transform the treatment of chronic pain,” stated Dr. Schocket.