Louisiana Orthopaedic Specialists Using New Post Surgical Pain Control to Decrease Prescription Narcotic Need

Lafayette, LA – Every day, the fellowship-trained surgeons of Louisiana Orthopaedic Specialists are performing major surgeries, which usually requires pain relief after the procedure is complete. Most physicians prescribe narcotics, which affect the entire body, but doctors at Louisiana Orthopedic Specialists were convinced there was a better way. That is when Dr. Judson Penton and Dr. James “Bart” Kyle began using a specially designed disposable pump to deliver medication that blocks pain only in the area of the surgery.

“We started inserting small disposable pain pumps near the incision site next to nerves in the surgical area. The medicine flows continually at a very slow rate. Patients started having quicker recovery times and they were not dependent on opioids for relief,” said Dr. Judson Penton, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon. “Using the pumps means we can control pain better and not have the side effects of narcotics, such as breathing difficulty, constipation, nausea and vomiting.”

Knowing this new method will decrease the need for patients to take long term narcotic prescriptions is a big reason for introducing the portable pain pumps into the practice.

“We are always trying to find new technology and treatments to reduce the discomfort for our patients.Oral narcotics can be addictive and have side effects that can slow recovery. Nerve blocks allow for shorter hospital stays and quicker entry into physical therapy. There has been a dramatic increase in the dependence on prescription narcotics in the past few years. Using nerve blocks and pain pumps is certainly an effort to combat this issue,” said Dr. Bart Kyle, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon.

The disposable pain pumps are completely portable and will only administer an amount of medication approved by a physician.

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