Avanos Pain Management
Getting Patients Back to the Things that Matter

Chronic knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common diseases and growing problem in today’s aging population. Up to 20 million adults in the US suffer from OA of the knee, and many suffer from OA pain for an average of 9 years before becoming surgical candidates. While opioid prescriptions have long been a viable treatment option for a variety of pain conditions, they come with several risks including misuse and abuse; and have led the drug addiction epidemic. Managing OA knee pain can be a challenge with today’s limited treatment algorithm, as injections and medications only provide short-term relief. Finding safe alternatives for long-term treatment options are necessary for today’s patients. Orthopedic surgeons need a long-lasting solution to fill the gap between short-term pain relief and surgery.

Avanos Medical delivers clinically proven solutions such as COOLIEF* Cooled Radiofrequency (RF)—a minimally invasive, non-opioid outpatient procedure providing long-lasting relief for chronic pain patients. COOLIEF* Cooled RF is proven by level I evidence in multiple modalities and works by using water-cooled technology to safely deactivate nerves sending signals to the brain. It is also the first and only FDA-cleared radiofrequency treatment for the relief of osteoarthritis knee pain.

During COOLIEF* Cooled RF treatment, a radiofrequency generator sends out alternating current via an insulated electrode placed through the skin. The alternating current generates sionic heating, in the form of friction, which heats up the surrounding tissue and in turn blocks the signal of pain. Unlike other RF procedures, COOLIEF* Cooled RF circulates fluid through the device to keep the probe-tissue interface cool, and allows more energy to be delivered, which creates a more extensive treatment area. This combination targets the pain-transmitting nerves, leading to pain relief.

COOLIEF* Cooled RF can be done without the use of general anesthesia, it is performed in an outpatient basis, recovery time is quick, and the procedure can be done multiple times. COOLIEF* Cooled RF is clinically-proven to provide up to 12-months of pain relief; however, in some modalities, it has lasted up to two years. “With COOLIEF* Cooled RF treatment, within one to two weeks, a patient can return to an enhanced quality of life. It is gratifying to give these patients a long-term solution that allows them to get back to the things that matter until they are ready for a more permanent solution, such as surgery,” asserts Lisa Kudlacz, Vice President and General Manager at Avanos Medical.

With COOLIEF* Cooled RF, within one to two weeks, a patient can return to an enhanced quality of life

There are numerous stories of chronic pain patients who resumed daily activities following COOLIEF* Cooled RF treatment. Brenda Grigsby, who suffered from knee pain for almost a decade, initially thought it was because of her growing age and took a daily oral prescription to treat chronic osteoarthritis. She then decided to consult Dr. Eric Loudermilk, Medical Director for Piedmont Comprehensive Pain Management Group, who ultimately performed COOLIEF* Cooled RF treatment. Shortly after the procedure, Brenda was shocked that the excruciating pain that had become part of her life was no longer there. “I had minor swelling for a few days after the treatment, but that was it,” recalls Brenda. On her 60th birthday, she hiked Diamond Head in Hawaii. She also plans to skydive. “I’ve always wanted to jump out of a plane but have never been able to because of my knee,” adds Brenda.

Avanos Medical is focused on helping patients and building its presence in more than 90 countries. The company operates in eight principle medical device production facilities and employs 4500 employees across the world. Kudlacz expands that, “Our portfolio of pain management includes non-opioid therapies for acute and chronic pain management. In addition to COOLIEF* Cooled RF, the ON-Q* Pain Relief System is an opioid-sparing elastomeric ambulatory infusion post-surgical pain management system indicated to significantly reduce the need for opioids and provide better pain relief than opioids alone. It delivers a customizable and continuous flow of local anesthetic to a patient’s surgical site or in close proximity to peripheral nerves and can be used for up to five days after surgery. Patients treated with ON-Q* may experience faster recovery and less post-operative pain with fewer side effects than patients taking opioids alone.

Last year, Avanos acquired Game Ready, a clinically-proven cold and intermittent compression therapy system used for injury and orthopedic surgery recovery. The Game Ready System delivers targeted cold and compression therapy through anatomically-designed wraps to help to reduce pain, swelling and opioid consumption. Adding this market-leading technology to the Avanos portfolio of non-opioid treatment options further commits the company to the innovative fight to reduce the use of opioids.

As a company currently generating $612M in revenue, Avanos Medical also delivers breakthrough solutions for intravenous therapy, digestive and respiratory care.

Avanos Medical intends to continue its focus on delivering breakthrough medical device solutions to improve quality of life and get patients back to the things that matter. The company is investing in R&D and is also into educating people about opioids that are very inexpensive to use but have a devastating effect in the long run. “We work in an environment that strives to be independent and different, one that supports and inspires to excel and to help change what medical devices can deliver, now and tomorrow,” concludes Lisa.