Memorial Regional Health CRNAs and pain management specialists Alfred Maina and Trey Gorham recently traveled to Houston for training in the use of a new treatment called iovera®.
“We are committed to providing the most up-to-date and evidence-based treatments for managing chronic and acute pain in our communities,” Maina said. “Iovera is a proprietary treatment involving cold therapy to block nerve pain. It’s great for chronic knee pain, post-operative pain after knee replacement, nerve pain in the lower extremities and pain management after rib fractures.”
Our Pain Specialists Trey Gorham and Alfred Maina.
How It Works
First Maina and Gorham identify the target nerves with ultrasound. Then they inject numbing medication into area to make the procedure more comfortable. Finally, they place the small needle at the tip of the handheld iovera device into the target nerve. This freezes the nerve, stopping the transmission of the pain signal.
“We repeat this process for the three or four main nerves that supply sensation to the area that is hurting,” Maina said. “The result is that patients can have a few months of relief, and the treatment can be repeated as needed in the months to come.”
Why iovera Is a Good Option
Many people with chronic joint pain are used to getting cortisone shots to subdue their discomfort. But iovera can be a better option because cortisone is a steroid, and steroids can raise blood glucose levels, which is a problem for people with diabetes or prediabetes.
“Also, iovera is a better option for people with severe joint degeneration,” Maina said. “For those patients, cortisone injections are mostly ineffective.”
Iovera can also be used a few weeks prior to knee surgery. This reduces pain for the patient pre-surgery and lasts through and after the surgery, reducing post-surgical pain as well.
Finally, because iovera is a freezing technique, it doesn’t involve medication. “Limiting the impact of opioids in our community and helping improve quality of life continue to be the main driver of our pain management program,” Maina said.
Learn More
To find out if iovera might be right for you, make an appointment with Maina or Gorham by calling 970-826-2400.
“We’ll do a comprehensive evaluation to determine if you are a candidate for iovera or any of the other treatment approaches we use in managing pain,” Maina said. “And if you’re going to have knee surgery, ask your surgeon about the possibility of receiving iovera two to three weeks before the surgery. They can place a referral to our pain management team.”
Iovera is covered by most insurances. “We have a team of people who will ensure that the appropriate prior authorizations are performed prior to scheduling the patient for the procedure,” Maina said.
