Opioids are highly effective in treating pain, but they carry a high risk for abuse. Research shows that a significant percentage of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded a substantial increase in drug overdose deaths in the United States. The development of new non-addictive pain medications could help curb opioid misuse.
Researchers have recently developed a biocompatible implant device that wraps around nerves to relieve pain by cooling them down. The device physically resembles a rubber band and has the ability to cool targeted regions of peripheral nerves to block the propagation of pain signals
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The device works by using microfluidic channels containing a liquid coolant known as perfluoropentane and dry nitrogen, an inert gas. The cooling occurs when the liquid and gas flow into a shared chamber, where they react and cause the liquid to evaporate. A tiny integrated sensor monitors the temperature of the nerve to ensure it doesn’t get too cold, which could lead to nerve and tissue damage.
The device is constructed from water-soluble and biocompatible materials, including magnesium and cellulose acetate. It harmlessly dissolves into the patient’s body once it is no longer needed, similar to dissolvable stitches.
The researchers tested the device in a freely-moving rat model of sciatic nerve injury. Cooling nerves from 33 degrees to 4 degrees Celsius over a 15-minute period decreased signal amplitude by 77% and slowed signals by 97%. Both amplitude and speed of signaling returned to 97% of their initial values after rewarming to body temperature over 3 minutes. Three weeks following implantation, cooling the nerve from 37 degrees to 10 degrees Celsius led to a sevenfold reduction in the score of the rat’s pain sensitivity.
Dr. Vafi Salmasi, a pain medicine assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, noted that the device has several advantages that can "certainly change" the treatment of post-operative pain. It can be implanted during surgery with no additional interventions, needs minimal to no maintenance, has a potentially low to no risk of infection, and is bio-absorbable, so it does not need to be removed later.
Dr. Kai Yu, a research scientist and special faculty at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, who was also not involved in the study, stated that the device and technology were promising. The nerve cooling device provides a foundation for a class of implantable cooling systems for nonopioid pain management. It could be particularly useful for post-operative pain, and surgeons could attach the device to affected nerves during the procedure.
In conclusion, the development of non-addictive pain medications, such as the nerve cooling device, could help curb opioid misuse. The device has several advantages, including minimal maintenance, a low risk of infection, and bio-absorbable materials. The device could potentially change the treatment of post-operative pain, providing a foundation for a class of implantable cooling systems for nonopioid pain management
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