New enhancements on intrathecal pump

IMPLANTABLE drug delivery device company, Flowonix Medical Inc., said it has launched the Prometra programmable intrathecal pump in the US market.

The Prometra pump provides important new enhancements for physicians who treat patients in chronic pain through the delivery of preservative-free morphine, Infumorph?.  The pump offers improved accuracy and longevity compared to currently available programmable pumps, both important factors in providing enhanced therapy to chronic pain patients.

"Given the increased concern regarding the abuse of oral narcotics, programmable pumps offer clinicians an important option for treating patients suffering from chronic pain. In addition to the economic and clinical advantages of implantable pump therapy, the Prometra pump contains innovative technology for very accurate drug delivery and increased device longevity," stated Tim Deer, MD, clinical professor of Anesthesiology at West Virginia University.

The Prometra pump uses a patented dual-gated valve drug delivery mechanism resulting in very accurate dosing of medication and due to few moving parts significantly improves the longevity of the pump.

Programmable intrathecal pumps are implanted in the body and deliver a tiny amount of medication directly to the intrathecal space around the spinal column. This allows physicians to reduce the amount of medication needed daily by the patient.

"The programmable intrathecal pump is a therapy whose efficacy in treating patients in chronic pain has been established for over 25 years. This therapy has demonstrated consistent clinical benefits for patients suffering from chronic pain, including chronic back pain, a debilitating disease costing millions of dollars in lost productivity and reducing the ability of patients to manage their activities of daily living," stated Dr. Yeshvant A. Navalgund, pain management physician from Greensburg, Pa.

The Prometra infusion pump offers a new design compared to infusion pumps on the market, which helps make the pump highly accurate in dosing.

"We are pleased to offer pain management physicians and patients a dual-gated valve pump versus the currently available peristaltic pump," stated Steve Adler, CEO of Flowonix Medical Inc.  "Physicians are looking for options to the negative effects of high doses of oral narcotics for the management of pain in chronic pain patients.  In a multicenter clinical study, the Prometra pump system demonstrated accurate, safe, and effective delivery of intrathecal medication [Indicated for Infumorph]. This should reduce the amount of oral medication necessary to manage pain, reduce side effects associated with oral narcotics, and, as we see in new cost effectivenenike sb