New Medtronic System Seeks To Wean SynchroMed Patients Off Opioids

As part of an effort to help reduce or eliminate patient overuse of oral opioid painkillers, Medtronic launched a new system this week involving its SynchroMed pain pump, which would allow doctors wean patients off of oral opioids. 

Medtronic issued a press release October 16, announcing the launch of the “Control Workflow” for use with SynchroMed II Intrathecal Drug Delivery System, which is a drug pump used to deliver medications such as pain killers and insulin.

The Control Workflow is meant to help combat chronic pain, without the use of oral narcotic painkillers, and helping doctors tailor drug medications for each patient.

This comes as the United States faces an ever worsening opioid abuse epidemic. Opioids account for two-thirds of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. A recent study indicated opioids are often prescribed to many patients without a documented pain diagnosis.

Medtronic claims that the Control Workflow combined with the SynchroMed pain pump will help doctors address chronic pain without the use of oral opioids and with less medication overall.

In one analysis conducted on the system, 51% of chronic non-malignant pain patients were able to eliminate use of oral opioids after one year, Medtronic claims.

The Control Workflow system is used by doctors in tandem with the SynchroMed pain pump. The pain pump is implanted under the skin and used to deliver medication in to the intrathecal space, or directly into the spinal canal.