Coastal Orthopedics physician becomes first on Florida's west coast to use new chronic intractable pain therapy

Pain management specialist Dr. Gennady Gekht, of the comprehensive and full-service orthopedic, sports medicine and pain management practice Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine & Pain Management (CoastalOrthopedics.com), has become the first physician on the west coast of Florida to use a new neurostimulation device.

The device is designed to relieve the sensation of pain in patients suffering from chronic intractable pain. The St. Jude Medical Axium Neurostimulator System stimulates the dorsal root ganglion, a cluster of nerve cells in the spine, and directly targets the area of the body where a patient’s pain occurs.

Unlike traditional neurostimulation devices, the St. Jude system targets the dorsal root ganglion spinal structure, which is densely populated with sensory nerves that transmit information to the brain via the spinal cord.

The first-of-its-kind device delivers spinal stimulation and can target pain in the groin, hip, knee and ankle. Dr. Gekht and Coastal Orthopedics are encouraging other physicians to use the device, too, including hernia physicians and hip, knee and ankle surgeons.

“The St. Jude technology enables us to successfully treat patients with chronic pain, many of whom have tried several other treatments and have not experienced adequate results,” Dr. Gekht said. “This innovative therapy is a game changer that allows us to provide our patients with a higher quality of care.”

According to the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, chronic pain affects more than 100 million Americans, an incidence rate that outpaces heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Research also suggests that the condition costs Americans an estimated 515 million workdays each year and generates more than 40 million physician visits each year.

The St. Jude device is approved for use in the United States, Europe and Australia.

About Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine & Pain Management

Founded in 1973 and based in Bradenton, Fla., Coastal Orthopedics is home to 15 orthopedic surgeons and pain management physicians who maintain hospital affiliations with Blake Medical Center, Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. In addition to three offices and two ambulatory surgery centers each serving Florida’s West Coast, Coastal Orthopedics’ board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians and surgeons provide patients with the very latest in pain and orthopedic treatment technology. The company strives to repair and heal injuries relating to the entire musculoskeletal system. For more than 40 years, our highly skilled staff of physicians and surgeons has treated patients in specialty care including sports medicine, joint replacement, pain management and rehabilitation. Patients can experience restoration of function both surgically and non-surgically through the use of physician-guided strengthening, therapy, medications, injections and stretching. For more information, please visit CoastalOrthopedics.com or call 941-792-1404.