Megan Brooks, Medscape – May 18, 2017
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the iovera device, from Myoscience, Inc, for the relief of pain and symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) for up to 90 days. Myoscience is located in Fremont, California.
“The iovera technology is a nonopioid and nonsystemic treatment for blocking pain signals from peripheral nerves,” the company said in a news release announcing FDA 51(k) clearance of the device.
The device uses the body’s natural response to cold to treat peripheral nerves. It consists of a hand piece equipped with a nitrous oxide cartridge and three closely spaced 27-gauge closed-end needle tips. The nitrous oxide flows from the cartridge to the needle tips, creating a highly localized cold zone. The effect is transient and provides pain relief until the nerve regenerates and its sensory function is restored.
“The iovera technology has the potential to change the current paradigm of pain management for osteoarthritis. The patients that I have treated with this technology have experienced immediate and long-lasting pain relief and are grateful to have an option that is nonnarcotic and nonsystemic,” Vinod Dasa, MD, member of the Myoscience medical advisory board, said in the release.
