Chronic Pain Patients, Concerned About National Cold Turkey, Submit Own Data Challenging FDA’s Proposed Opioid Policy

Supported by its own specifically conducted research with 2909 patients from 10 patient groups, the International Adhesions Society (IAS) today submitted recommendations in response to FDA proposals to limit the the way opioids are approved. The data, representing over 25 million Americans with chronic pelvic, abdominal or spinal pain due in part to adhesions, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome and hysterectomy complications, demonstrate the significant number of patients (92.4%) whose opioid requirements would fall outside of the proposed limits and whose access to opioids would be compromised. Chronic Pain Patients, Concerned About National Cold Turkey, Submit Own Data Challenging FDA’s Proposed Opioid Policy
Supported by its own specifically conducted research with 2909 patients from 10 patient groups, the International Adhesions Society (IAS) today submitted recommendations in response to FDA proposals to limit the the way opioids are approved. The data, representing over 25 million Americans with chronic pelvic, abdominal or spinal pain due in part to adhesions, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome and hysterectomy complications, demonstrate the significant number of patients (92.4%) whose opioid requirements would fall outside of the proposed limits and whose access to opioids would be compromised.

……to continue reading, click here for entire .pdf


Join us on April 4, 2013 – ICA Webinar on CAPPS Featuring our friend, Dr. Robert Echenberg

Dr. Wiseman’s picks:

ICA Webinar on CAPPS Featuring our friend. Dr. Robert Echenberg

If any of you are concerned that Dr. E stole the name CAPPS, fear not, as Dr. E was kind enough to call me first!

April 4th The Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA)

invites you to attend a free webinar entitled IC’s Role

in CAPPS on April 4, 2013 at 6:30 PM ET.

To register for the event, click the link below.

What is CAPPS?

Short for Complex Abdominal-Pelvic Pain Syndrome,

CAPPS is a syndrome of nonmalignant origin consisting

of a complex of abdominal and pelvic symptoms that

includes a variety of painful bowel, bladder, genital,

reproductive, muscular and nerve dysfunctions lasting

at least 3-6 months in duration.

Have a question for Dr. Echenberg? When registering

for the webinar, you have the ability to enter a question

you may have regarding IC and CAPPS. Dr. Echenberg

will answer these questions during the webinar

Click here to register


International Adhesions Society (IAS) Research Study on Opioid Use in Chronic Pain.

International Adhesions Society (IAS) Research Study on Opioid Use in Chronic Pain

FDA is considering reducing your access to pain relieving drugs!

(click here to take our survey)

Make your voice heard and influence FDA policy on pain relief by completing this survey conducted by the International Adhesions Society and proudly supported by KevMed, LLC.

Opioids (narcotic drugs related to morphine – hydrocodone, oxycodone, heroin, tramadol, etc.) contribute to about 75% of all deaths due to prescription drugs, in turn accounting for 58% of all drug-related deaths. Although US opioid sales are estimated to be $9 billion, societal costs of opioid abuse, misuse, addiction and overdose are estimated at $56 billion.

Concerned about these statistics, FDA is inviting comment about proposals to limit the types of pain, doses and length of treatment for which opioids are approved. The proposals, if implemented could limit legitimate access to opioids by patients with chronic pain.

Arguments on both sides have been submitted, but ACTUAL data (as opposed to speculation) supporting either position are sparse. ACTUAL data makes a difference to policy makers and so we are conducting this survey to provide FDA with ACTUAL data on opioid use in patients with chronic pain, especially pelvic & abdominal pain due to adhesions, ARD, CAPPS, interstitial cystitis, IBS, pudendal neuralgia, endometriosis, and hysterectomy complications. Patients with other types of chronic pain are most welcome to participate in this important effort. Due to submission deadlines this survey will run only for a short period.

In addition to asking about your pain and use of analgesics, the survey will solicit your opinion on a draft statement that we intend to submit to FDA. The statement will outline our results and recommendations for a comprehensive drug policy that is able to reduce abuse and misuse while still allowing chronic pain patients to obtain effective relief from opioids, and more importantly, facilitate access to safer and effective alternatives.

Given the high public profile of this topic, our statement will provide a platform for us to raise awareness about adhesions, endometriosis, IC, IBS, CPP and related conditions. It will showcase the achievements of the IAS made possible by your participation in our work, including, relevant to this subject, our research on PainShield® MD, a portable, wearable, therapeutic ultrasound device that provides novel and effective treatment for pain. PainShield MD requires no surgery or drugs and may allow patients to reduce or avoid opioids as well as surgical procedures such as hysterectomy or adhesiolysis.

No one wants to take any drugs, much less opioids which play havoc on bowel function, but until there is widespread use of alternatives such as PainShield MD we must ensure access of chronic pain patients to opioids. We certainly want to see safer prescribing habits, but we do not believe the current FDA proposals will accomplish that. Our statement will also encourage comprehensive polices on pain itself, the prevention of its root causes (which includes adhesions) and the streamlining of the approval for marketing and reimbursement of new pain-relieving products.

Here is a link to the survey: click here

If this link does not display as a clickable link, please copy and paste the following link into a new browser window.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/OpioidsChronicPainFDA

To participate in this survey you will need to be at least 18 years of age, to live in the USA and currently suffer from ANY type of chronic pain that is NOT related to cancer.

If you do not meet these criteria, we thank you for your interest and look forward to including your thoughts on future surveys.

Whether or not you participate, we thank you for your support of the International Adhesions Society. Please visit our web site – www.adhesions.org, “Like” us on facebook and follow us on Twitter (AdhesionsOrg).

Please also check out and tell your friends about PainShield MD, which we have found to reduce painful bowel, bladder, genital, musculoskeletal and other symptoms associated with ARD, adhesions, CAPPS, endometriosis, IC and IBS. PainShieldMD is being sold through KevMed – www.kevmed.com – a company we set up as a result of IAS research and whose profits we hope eventually will fund the IAS as well as further advances in the alleviation of suffering by not only adhesions patients, but all patients suffering with chronic pain.

To help you take charge of your pain we have designed a free Pain Diary that will help you track your condition and effectively communicate with your doctor leaving more time to plan and implement effective treatment. You can download this by clicking here.

This is important. On behalf of all pain sufferers, we must make our voice heard.

Sincerely,

David Wiseman PhD, MRPharmS

Founder International Adhesions Society

(President KevMed. LLC)


New Pelvic Pain Diary by KevMed will Help Chronic Pelvic Pain, IC & IBS Patients Take Charge of their Condition

.pdf version

A complimentary, downloadable, comprehensive pain diary, designed for patients suffering from chronic pelvic pain, Interstitial Cystitis (IC), Endometriosis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has been released by KevMed, a company dedicated to the relief of these conditions

The KevMed Pelvic Pain Diary can be downloaded free of charge after registration at:

http://www.kevmed.com/PainDiary.html

The KevMed Pelvic Pain Diary represents an important advance in empowering patients by allowing them to monitor and take charge of their condition, and helping them to communicate efficiently, effectively and knowledgeably with medical providers; the diary will help to save time in the doctor’s office by presenting a clear picture of the patients’ progress, leaving more time for the doctor and patient to plan future treatment.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) December 31, 2012 — A new, comprehensive, downloadable and free pelvic pain diary

has recently been developed and released by KevMed™, a company dedicated to the relief of chronic pelvic

pain and related conditions. The 5-page diary is available as a downloadable tool free of charge.

Unlike other pain inventories, this new diary has been designed specifically for the 15 million patients suffering from a number of overlapping disorders which also includes abdominal pain, Adhesion Related Disorder (ARD), CAPPS, endometriosis, vulvodynia, dyspareunia, dyschezia, sacroiliac joint pain, pudendal neuralgia and pelvic floor dysfunction. Many of these disorders are common in patients who have undergone

hysterectomy. Rather than taking a single snap-shot of the pain, this new tool will help patients track their progress over time, especially as it relates to the effectiveness of pain therapies and devices, such as PainShield® MD, a wearable therapeutic ultrasound device marketed by KevMed as a non-invasive, low-risk treatment modality for chronic pelvic pain and pain associated with related conditions.

The KevMed Pelvic Pain Diary is the most comprehensive tool available for this condition today. It can help patients obtain a thorough assessment of their condition, talk more effectively with their medical providers, describe more efficiently the type and location of their pain, and give a more detailed response to questions of which pain treatments worked and which did not.

“We are excited to make this tool available to those patients who suffer from often unbearable pain as well as

the doctors and other professionals who treat them. Patients and doctors both understand that managing chronic

pelvic pain is difficult enough without having to describe and track the condition. The Kevmed Pelvic Pain Diary will reduce the time needed for a doctor to assess a patient’s condition, leaving more time to plan and implement treatment. The diary will empower patients to take charge of their condition, and allow them to partner more effectively with the providers who are caring for them,” says David Wiseman, PhD, Founder and

CEO of KevMed.

Pain diaries and assessment tools for a number of conditions have evolved over many years with the work of

the International Pelvic Pain Society and the Vulval Pain Society contributing greatly to this field. Building on

this strong foundation, the KevMed Pelvic Pain Diary is the result of a collaboration with the International

Adhesions Society (IAS), also founded by Dr. Wiseman, which provides information, support, and advocacy to

patients and their families suffering from ARD and Complex Abdominal & Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CAPPS).

Pioneering patient-centered research conducted by the International Adhesions Society (IAS) has led not only

to new understandings of these conditions, but also new understandings on how to assess them and to track

their progress. This knowledge was applied in developing the KevMed Pelvic Pain Diary.

The diary includes modules on bladder, bowel, abdominal, musculoskeletal and genital pain. It can be used by

men and women and allows documentation of pain that is or is not related to periods (menstruation). There are

also modules to document sleep, often affected adversely by pain, general daily activities and drug or other

treatment.

Notes Dr. Wiseman, “Our diary is a work in progress and we invite comments and suggestions on how we can

improve this for both patients and medical providers. We hope in the future to produce print versions as well as

mobile and online versions that are HIPAA compliant and that can be shared with providers. We hope also to

expand the diary to include more detailed sections for conditions such as fibromyalgia, temporomandibular

joint (TMJ) disorders (TMD) and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) or complex regional pain syndrome

(CRPS).”

______________________________

About KevMed

Founded by David Wiseman, PhD, in 2012, KevMed LLC is a medical device company dedicated to the relief

of chronic pelvic pain and related disorders. KevMed markets PainShield® MD, a wearable therapeutic

ultrasound device as a non-invasive, low-risk treatment modality for chronic pelvic pain and pain associated

with related conditions. KevMed, LLC was born from the work of the International Adhesions Society (IAS),

which provides information, support, and advocacy to patients and their families suffering from Adhesion

Related Disorder (ARD) and Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CAPPS).


Treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain Saved From Possible Extinction after Agreement to Revise Government Report: Hopes International Adhesions

Society

Chronic pelvic pain patients should continue to have available an important treatment option– adhesiolysis – after the International Adhesions Society (IAS) recently obtained an agreement with the authors of a government-sponsored report to revise its language which may otherwise lead to the denial of adhesiolysis and even laparoscopy as treatment options.

In its own analysis published today, the IAS highlights statistical and other flaws not considered by the government-sponsored report which may leave a patient or surgeon with the

mistaken impression that adhesiolysis does not benefit chronic pelvic pain and should not be performed at all.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) December 03, 2012 — The International Adhesions Society (IAS) published today its

analysisof sections of a government-sponsored report on chronic pelvic pain regarding the effectiveness of

adhesiolysis, a surgical procedure often used to treat pelvic pain. The IAS analysis includes details of an

agreement from the authors of the report to revise its language.

“ Since this type of report is used by payers and other policy makers,” notes Dr. David Wiseman, Founder of the

IAS, “the over-reliance on what we believe to be a flawed study may result in the denial of insurance coverage

and therapeutic options for over 400,000 American patients in whom adhesiolysis is performed annually.”

Adhesiolysis is a surgical procedure in which adhesions, abnormal connections between organs that form

mostly because of disease or previous surgery, are cut.

The report, authored by Dr. Jeff Andrews and his team at the Vanderbilt Evidence-based Practice Center was

commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), of the Department of Health &

Human Services, and evaluated the effectiveness of various therapies for female chronic pelvic pain. For

adhesiolysis, the team relied on a Dutch study (Swank et al., 2003) which concluded that although laparoscopic

adhesiolysis relieves chronic abdominal pain, it could not be recommended to treat chronic abdominal pain

because it was not more beneficial than laparoscopy alone.

The IAS in collegial correspondence with Dr. Andrews, highlighted statistical and other flaws in the Dutch

study which challenge its conclusions as well as the degree of reliance attached to that study. “Dr. Andrews has

agreed to revise the report’s language” says Dr. Wiseman, “although budget cuts may delay this revision.”

“ The Dutch study has provided important insights into the relationship between adhesions and pain,” comments

Dr. Wiseman, “and our analysis has found enough evidence to warrant more definitive research on the benefit

of adhesiolysis in chronic pelvic or abdominal pain. However, its inclusion in a forum for the formulation of health policy is premature.”

The IAS otherwise praised the Vanderbilt report in raising awareness about chronic pelvic pain and in

demonstrating the importance now attached by the US Government to this major health problem affecting over

15 million Americans.

….. to continue reading, please click here


New Device Dramatically Reduces Pain in Chronic Pelvic Pain and Interstitial Cystitis Patients, Finds Clinical Study Presented to the International Pelvic Pain Society

Clinical efficacy data for PainShield, a new wearable ultrasound device, showed a significant reduction in pelvic pain and related symptoms in patients with long-standing, difficult to treat chronic pelvic pain. Over 15 million patients in the U.S. suffer from chronic pelvic pain with very few effective treatment options currently available. The PainShield device promises to be a non-invasive, drug-free alternative for pain management in patients who suffer from debilitating pelvic pain.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) October 24, 2012

pdf version

In a poster presentation at the International Pelvic Pain Society Annual Meeting in Chicago (Oct. 18-21, 2012), clinical efficacy data on a new therapeutic ultrasound device, PainShield®, revealed promising result for millions of pelvic pain and interstitial cystitis sufferers in the United States.

Nineteen patients suffering from long standing and unrelieved pelvic, urological or related pain participated in the study, which found significant reductions in pelvic pain, bladder pain, pain on urination (dysuria), pain on defecation (dyschezia), abdominal bloating and muscle or joint pain related to their condition. Reductions in urinary urgency and frequency, difficulty urinating, sacro-iliac joint pain, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), rectal pain, and sitting intolerance were also noted and expected to show statistical significance in a larger study.

Over half of the trial participants rated their response to the treatment with PainShield as “good”, with only two participants rating their response as negative. Based on these positive findings, further study of PainShield as a treatment alternative to drugs and surgery is clearly warranted. Five months after starting treatment with the PainShield device, Michelle Brown, a 45-year old mother of two, who has been suffering from debilitating pelvic pain for more than a decade, reported that “I have come off all my pain medications, which used to cost me between $300 and $1000 per month.” Ms. Brown added “I feel great! I haven’t felt this good in 15 years.”

The PainShield clinical study resulted from a grassroots effort under the leadership of a patient advocacy organization, the International Adhesions Society (IAS), which provides information, support and advocacy to patients and their families suffering from adhesion related disorder (ARD) and Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CAPPS). The study follows other innovative research conducted by the International Adhesions Society, which has led to more patient-centered insights into this poorly understood medical condition and to the founding of the world’s first dedicated clinic for the treatment of adhesions and Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CAPPS). The PainShield study is an example of what a patient advocacy group can accomplish with few resources other than patients seeking answers working closely with a leader in the field, in this case David Wiseman, PhD, MRPharmS, the founder of the IAS. Authoring the study together with Dr. Wiseman was Ms. Teena Petree, PT of Summit Physical Therapy, Dallas, TX, whose specialties include pelvic floor dysfunction and pelvic pain relief.

The International Adhesions Society was founded and funded by Synechion, Inc., a research and consulting company specializing in the field of surgical adhesions and pelvic pain and based on the internationally recognized expertise of its founder, Dr. David Wiseman who remarked, “after conducting research on adhesions and pelvic pain and working with patients suffering from these conditions for over 25 years, I feel that for the first time we have a real chance to revolutionize the management of pain in these patients without the risks of surgery or drugs.” Added Wiseman, “the results in the PainShield study were so compelling and the clinical need so urgent, that forming a company, KevMed, to fill the needs of this underserved patient population was the logical next step. We therefore secured the US distribution and marketing rights to PainShield for patients with pelvic pain, interstitial cystitis and related conditions.”

PainShield is a wearable therapeutic ultrasound device, available by prescription to patients in the United States and was developed by NanoVibronix of Farmingdale, New York, based on its proprietary technology which miniaturizes the ultrasound delivery system to a small disc mounted within an adhesive patch applied to the skin. NanoVibronix provided the PainShield units for the study free of charge

For more information contact:

Dr. David Wiseman

International Adhesions Society

6757 Arapaho Road, Suite 711-238

Dallas, TX 75248

http://www.adhesions.org

KevMed, LLC.

15305 Dallas Parkway, Suite 300

Addison, TX 75001

http://www.kevmed.com


KevMed™ Prepares to Introduce Novel Device for Pelvic Pain and Interstitial Cystitis as US Distributor of PainShield®

KevMed announces that it has been appointed as the US distributor of the PainShield® device for treatment of pelvic pain and related conditions by NanoVibronix®, a company that develops innovative medical products based on its proprietary miniaturised ultrasound technology. PainShield is a wearable device that delivers low frequency, therapeutic ultrasound for the treatment of pain associated with a number of pelvic and abdominal conditions including interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic pelvic pain.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) October 16, 2012

NanoVibronix®, Inc., a medical device company, which develops innovative therapeutic ultrasound products, has named KevMed™, LLC as its US distributor for PainShield®, the first hands-free, wearable therapeutic ultrasound device to treat the over 15 million patients in the USA with pelvic pain, interstitial cystitis and related conditions.

With over 25 years of experience in the area of abdominal adhesions and pelvic pain syndromes, David Wiseman, PhD, President of KevMed is excited to introduce the PainShield device to help alleviate pelvic pain in patients with chronic and difficult to treat symptoms. “In a clinical study, we found the PainShield ultrasound therapy to dramatically reduce pain in CAPPS (Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome) patients. An abstract with clinical data reflecting this positive finding was accepted for presentation at the upcoming meeting of the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) 2012 in Chicago,” says Wiseman. “I feel that for the first time, we have a real chance to revolutionize the management of pain in these patients without the risks of surgery or drugs.”

According to Amir Rippel, VP Marketing at NanoVibronix, “our relationship with KevMed will allow us to reach many patients suffering from pain due to various pelvic pain syndromes. PainShield can help pelvic pain patients overcome their daily suffering and return to a more normal life.” Rippel adds, “following our ongoing success in relieving pain for patients with trigeminal neuralgia, an extremely painful neurological facial syndrome, we believe we can reduce the suffering and improve quality of life for many other patients with specific, but difficult to treat pain.”

PainShield is the first hands-free, low-frequency therapeutic ultrasound device that delivers therapy via a self-adhering patch. The portable design allows for an entirely new dimension in ultrasound treatment of pain and soft tissue healing. PainShield consists of a disposable patch connected to a portable reusable driver and transmits ultrasound waves to the desired area of the body. Patients can use PainShield in the clinical setting, at home, at work, and even while they sleep. The hassle-free, user-friendly application of the device dramatically improves patient compliance and access to treatment. PainShield is cleared by the FDA for treatment of pain and carries the CE Mark.

Over 15 million patients in the US suffer from a number of overlapping disorders that include pelvic pain, abdominal pain, Adhesion Related Disorder (ARD), bowel obstruction, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis (IC), painful bladder syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), vulvodynia, dyspareunia (painful intercourse), dyschezia (painful defecation), adhesions, sacroiliac joint pain, pudendal neuralgia and pelvic floor dysfunction. Numerous patients undergo hysterectomy in an effort to alleviate their pain, only to discover that the procedure worsens their condition. In extreme cases, patients will also report fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMD) and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Collectively, these conditions have been termed CAPPS (Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome). PainShield is designed to help relieve the pain associated with these conditions.

About KevMed

KevMed, LLC was born from the work of the International Adhesions Society (IAS), which provides information, support, and advocacy to patients and their families suffering from Adhesion Related Disorder (ARD) and Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CAPPS). The International Adhesions Society (IAS) was founded by Synechion, Inc. in 1996 in response to demand by pelvic pain patients seeking answers in a field that remains poorly understood by many patients and clinicians. Synechion, Inc. is a consulting company specializing in the science and business of adhesions, founded by David Wiseman, PhD, MRPharmS, internationally recognized expert who has been making important product and scientific contributions to the field since 1987. Research by the International Adhesions Society (IAS) has revealed new understandings of Adhesion Related Disorder (ARD) and related conditions from the perspective of the patient, resulting in the identification of PainShield® as an effective treatment for pelvic pain.

Contact:

Dr. David Wiseman, President

KevMed™, LLC

15305 Dallas Parkway, Suite 300, Addison, TX 75001

972 931 5596

david.wiseman(at)kevmed(dot)com

http://www.kevmed.com

About NanoVibronix®

Located in Farmingdale, New York, with a subsidiary in Nesher, Israel, NanoVibronix® develops medical devices that utilize its proprietary therapeutic ultrasound technology. In addition to the PainShield® product for pain, the company is expanding its portable, therapeutic platform to the WoundShield® device – targeting expedited healing of chronic and acute wounds. NanoVibronix has also developed and markets the UroShield® catheter-based, disposable ultrasound, intended to reduce pain and discomfort and help prevent UTI in indwelling urinary catheters.

Contact:

Amir Rippel

NanoVibronix Ltd.

Tel: +972 4 820 0581

info(at)nanovibronix(dot)com

http://www.nanovibronix.com

Original Link

Click here for .pdf version


IAS work bringing results – KevMed formed to serve ARD patients

A BIG thanks to IAS patients! Stay tuned for more.

Chronic Pelvic Pain and Interstitial Cystitis Patients Soon to Have New Treatment Options with Formation of KevMed, LLC

Synechion, Inc., a research and consulting company specializing in the prevention of adhesions – internal scars causing pain and other complications – has announced the formation of a new company, KevMed, LLC to commercialize break-through innovations for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain and related disorders. Over 15 million patients in the U.S. suffer from chronic pelvic pain with very few effective treatment options currently available

KevMed brings hope to 15 million pelvic pain sufferers.

Dallas, TX, (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

Synechion Inc., a research and consulting company specializing in the field of surgical adhesion (internal scar tissue) prevention, has announced the formation of KevMed, LLC. KevMed will commercialize new technologies for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain and related disorders. Over 15 million patients in the U.S. suffer from chronic pelvic pain for which very few effective treatment options are available. KevMed’s technology will provide safe and non-invasive pain therapy for these patients.

Research conducted by Synechion through its patient support and advocacy organization, the International Adhesions Society (IAS), has revealed that vast numbers of primarily female patients, debilitated by chronic pelvic and abdominal pain, are poorly served by current medical approaches.

According to David Wiseman, PhD, Founder and President of KevMed, “The founding of KevMed is a natural extension of our work spanning more than two decades, which has helped to make valuable contributions to the field of surgical adhesions. Not only have we played a pivotal role in the development of a number of anti-adhesions products, but our work with the International Adhesions Society (IAS) led to the founding of the world’s first dedicated clinic for the treatment of adhesions and Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CAPPS). Our ground-breaking research has allowed us to better understand the needs of the adhesions and chronic pelvic pain patient. To serve these unmet needs, we have established KevMed.”

Adds Wiseman, “Patients suffering from chronic pelvic pain require an integrated treatment approach from a multi-disciplinary clinical team. Companies like KevMed, with a strong understanding of these patients’ needs, can support the multi-disciplinary approach with innovative, patient-centric technology. Our track record in research and patient service places KevMed in a unique position to serve patients with chronic pelvic pain.”

Over 15 million patients in the USA suffer from a number of overlapping disorders that include pelvic pain, abdominal pain, Adhesion Related Disorder (ARD), bowel obstruction, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis (IC), painful bladder syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), vulvodynia, dyspareunia (painful intercourse), dyschezia (painful defecation), adhesions, sacroiliac joint pain, pudendal neuralgia and pelvic floor dysfunction. Numerous patients undergo hysterectomy in an effort to alleviate their pain, only to discover that the procedure worsens their condition. In extreme cases, patients will also report fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMD) and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). KevMed’s mission is to provide safe and non-invasive pain therapy to these patients.

About Synechion, Inc. and the International Adhesions Society (IAS)

Synechion, Inc. is a consulting company specializing in the science and business of post-operative adhesions, founded by David Wiseman, PhD, MRPharmS, internationally recognized expert who has been making important product and scientific contributions to the field since 1987. The International Adhesions Society (IAS) was founded by Synechion, Inc. in 1996 in response to demand by pelvic pain patients seeking answers in a field that remains poorly understood by many patients and clinicians.

Contact

David Wiseman, PhD

KevMed LLC

972-931-5596

Attachments

Disorders of Adhesions or Adhesion-Related Disorder: Monolithic Entities or Part of Something Bigger—CAPPS?

Published research by KevMed’s founder on adhesions and pelvic and abdominal pain.


VA Peritoneal Adhesions Disability Benefits Questionnaire

Even if you are not a veteran, you should use this form as a template for documenting your adhesion-related disability.

VA recognizes disability due to adhesions. Issued apparently in February 2011 is VA FORM 21-0960G-6 -

” PERITONEAL ADHESIONS DISABILITY BENEFITS QUESTIONNAIRE”

The form guides the applicant in documenting the various ways they are impacted by adhesions including pain, obstruction, nausea, vomiting and ability to work.

What is most significant about the form is that it exists. Hopefully it can can used as a template for non-veterans in documenting their adhesion-related disability.


Update on Dr. John Semertzides: Verdict soon to be issued on termination of privileges to operate for adhesions.

Dr John Semertzides is a general surgeon who, since about 1991, has been treating patients with severe problems due to adhesions. A number of IAS members have visited him and have posted almost all favorable experiences with Dr. Semertzides both as a caring surgeon and as one that has helped many.

Click here for the remainder of this news story.


Financial Assistance for Adhesions, Adhesiolysis & other Surgery

Following are some leads and tips for finding financial help for adhesiolysis surgery. Please do your own diligent research to find the right solution for you.

We are grateful to an adhesion sufferer for researching and compiling this information.

Hospital Policies

Hospitals have “charity care policies,” and this article, “Hospitals Low Key on Charity,” explains how they work at hospitals. Some hospitals have information on their websites about their policies, but for others you must ask the hospital employees for information. The key words that seem to be the ones to use when inquiring about eligibility are “charity care program.” The requirements of hospitals to provide charity care differ by state, according to this article, “Hospital Charity Care Requirements,”

If you know what hospital you want to go to and you have a surgeon willing to operate, you might want to search online for their charity care policy or program, and if that does not work, ask the hospital staff for help.

Here are some examples of general charity care programs:

* JFK Medical Center, New Jersey:

* University of Michigan

* Central Texas Medical Center

Options for Financial Help:

Other options to consider include non-surgical treatments, patient navigators, and tax breaks.

Vocational Rehabilitation:

Try contacting your local Vocational Rehabilitation organization or Department of Human Services. This article explains how it works, and the second link is a state-by-state listing of organizations.

International Medical Travel:

Find low-cost adhesiolysis procedures in other countries:

Medical Discounts (800) 771-3325

Laproscopic Adhesiolysis is listed as a $1,950 procedure, on top of travel expenses. Research this carefully, go over the FAQs with a fine-toothed comb, ask a lot of questions, and make sure you are comfortable with every detail before agreeing.

ABC Medical Tourism

In the first search field, enter “General Surgery,” then, “Adhesiolysis Treatment.”

Before agreeing to undergo treatment by any medical professional abroad (or in the USA for that matter), thoroughly investigate all the risks and benefits of having the treatment as well the training and experience of the foreign doctor. In addition to considering treatment’s safety, a patient should evaluate the qualifications and experience of the doctor and account for differences between training and standards of doctors in those other countries and those in the USA.

Surgeons donating surgeries:

Some organizations are available in some areas to provide procedures to people with low-incomes. If one of these is not near you, search for “low income surgery” and include your city/state name. Sometimes it is one surgeon who is offering a free surgery day once a year. Sometimes it is an organization that can offer help more often. It is unknown whether these organizations can provide adhesiolysis.

California: Hands On Network (415) 733-0052

Nevada: Helping Hand & Surgical Care

Tips:

Call hospitals and ask for their “charity care policy” and how to be considered for their “charity care program.”

When calling organizations, you will want to use key words like “general surgery,” “minimally-invasive laproscopic surgery” and “adhesiolysis” or “adhesions causing… (whatever your symptoms are).” Find a surgeon who is willing to operate first, and then work through the hospital’s charity care program. Remember that health centers/surgeon offices may bill separately from the hospital. Make sure you ask at the office and the hospital about consideration for low-income patients.

This summary was put together by a fellow adhesion-sufferer who is not a doctor or a financial assistance professional. Please be your own advocate, and do your own diligent research. If you do not see something here that helps you in your area, use the search terms listed to find assistance locally.


SprayShield: Approval status, clinical trials, reasons for delay, patient posts

After a request to post a message from our old friend Annie Hayashi regarding SprayShield, we decided to provide an update on the status of SprayShield, its FDA approval, a new clinical trial, background information about SprayShield’s development and the rumors that have been circulating about these matters. For the update please see here.


IAS Announces New Opportunity to Participate in a Follow-up Patient Survey

Be part of our research effort by participating in our latest survey on information given to patients about adhesions prior to surgery.

This is to update our earlier survey 10 years ago and to track how things have changed for patients since then. Your participation is vital. Our last results were published in the medical literature, presented at international conferences and was widely quoted by doctors and scientists – a great tribute to our efforts and a measure of the impact of the International Adhesions Society – a true grassroots effort.

Even if you did not participate before, you can do so now. It will take 5-10 minutes. Click here to take the survey or paste this url into your browser:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AdhesionsInfConsent


IAS Joins the Social Media World by Launching Pilot Facebook Page & Twitter Feed

The IAS is experimenting with Facebook and Twitter to see how these social media platforms can best serve our audiences and accomplish our mission to:

* Provide information on ARD, its treatment and prevention, to patients, doctors and other professionals.

* Provide support to patients suffering from ARD.

* Promote research in the prevention and treatment of ARD.

* Serve as a forum for public education; to raise the level of awareness among doctors, healthcare providers, government, and the public at large to prompt a more comprehensive and integrated care for adhesions sufferers.

What sort of content do you want to see?

How should we use FB and Twitter? Are there different types of content you want to see on each? Please let us know! Contact us by:

Facebook = International Adhesions Society

Twitter = @AdhesionsOrg


IAS medical advisory board member Lena E. Holmdahl, MD, PhD passes away at age 57.

The IAS regrets to announce the death of IAS medical advisory board member Lena E. Holmdahl., MD, PhD at the age of 57 on December 24, 2011 at her home in Grafton, MA after a brave battle with brain cancer for 28 months.

Lena was a great friend of the IAS and participated in our symposium held in 2001. Lena was born in Lerum, Sweden and graduated from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden where she earned her MD and PhD. She practiced colo-rectal surgery in Sweden for almost twenty years, and conducted important experimental and clinical research in adhesions earning her the respect of colleagues internationally and recognition as one of the world’s experts on adhesions.

Lena continued to sponsor a laboratory at the University of Gothenburg and mentor PhD students even after her 2001 move to Genzyme Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she headed the Therapeutic Group of the Bio-Surgery Division.

Some of her earlier work focused on the adverse effects that surgical glove powder has on adhesions as in this 1997 paper – “Mechanisms of adhesion development and effects on wound healing, 1997”.

A great deal of her research focused on how the biology of the peritoneum is affected by surgery and why adhesions form. Some examples of this work include:

The role of fibrinolysis in adhesion formation, 1997

The peritoneal fibrinolytic response to conventional and laparoscopic colonic surgery, 2009.

Peritoneal response to pneumoperitoneum and laparoscopic surgery, 2002.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of MMP in serosal tissue of intraperitoneal organs and adhesions, 2001.

Making and covering of surgical footprints, 1999.

Tissue markers as predictors of postoperative adhesions, 1998.

Her later work at Genzyme focused on the development and use of Seprafilm. A selection of over 50 scientific articles authored by Lena can be found here, in addition to the many book chapters and presentations at medical and scientific conferences.

A summary of Lena’s presentation at our 2001 meeting can be found in our 2001 newsletter and her lecture on “Advances in the Understanding of Adhesions” can be found within our conference tapes.

The world’s knowledge about adhesions and why they form is all the more advanced because of Dr. Lena Holmdahl. We send our condolences to her family and many friends.

David Wiseman


Newscast: Treating Painful Adhesions after Surgery

Watch the local ABC-affiliate in the San Francisco Bay area of California (USA) for a segment on “Treating Painful Adhesions after Surgery”. The IAS also has a link from this page!

View the video

Read the summary


Government Recognition Project Underway for Adhesions & ARD

Want to help get recognition for Adhesions and ARD? Then visit our Government Recognition page for more about how you can help get recognition in your state!


ARD & ARD-Related Deaths News Release

Learn more about ARD & Adhesion Related Deaths in the news release provided by Dr. Wiseman of the IAS.


Patient Survey Results Now Available

Groundbreaking patient research by the IAS presented at the PAX Congres in Amsterdam on 12 April.

In December 2002, the IAS sent out requests for participation in our Informed Consent and Bowel Obstruction surveys. These surveys represented groundbreaking research into the area of adhesions and further our efforts to create awareness for Adhesions and ARD.

Your information was compiled between December 2002 – March 2003 and the results submitted in abstract form for acceptance at the PAX Congres in Amsterdam earlier this month.

Our research has revealed a number of important findings that we hope will advance the treatment and prevention of ARD. Read the full results. The highlights are:

  • ARD patients have a bowel obstruction on average once a year.
  • 85% ARD patients suffer from chronic pain. Pain medication often makes their bowel problems worse.
  • 48% of patients are unable to work, and 46% of these could not obtain benefits.
  • 32% of those who tried physical or massage therapy reported a benefit.

With regard to the information given to patients prior to surgery:

  • Information about adhesions was given to patients in 54% of adhesiolysis procedures, but in only 10% of other abdominal or pelvic procedures
  • In procedures not involving cutting of adhesions, patients were told of adhesion barriers in only 6% of cases

Do Men Get Adhesions? an informative look by David Wiseman PhD, MRPharmS, Founder, International Adhesions Society

It is a common myth that only women are prone to adhesions. While it is certainly true that women have more “internal parts” that require surgery, which inevitably leads to adhesions, men are not excluded from the problem of adhesions. A simple look at the national statistics collected from hospital discharges (ICD9 codes) from the most recent data available (2001-2005) reveals the following:

  • Over 50,000 men were discharged from hospital in 2005 with a diagnosis of peritoneal adhesions (568.0), accounting for 28% of such diagnoses, compared with 72% for women.
  • Over 37,000 men were discharged in 2005 with a diagnosis that included the specific diagnosis of intestinal adhesions with (ie causing) bowel obstruction (560.81). This number accounts for 38% of cases, compared with 62% for women.
  • Men also accounted for 37% of discharges with a principal diagnosis (as opposed to an incidental diagnosis) was intestinal adhesions with obstruction (560.81). Their length of stay was slightly higher than that of women in 3 of the five years studied and their hospital charges exceeded those of women in every year by as much as $2500.
  • Over 2000 men and women died every year with a diagnosis of intestinal adhesions with obstruction, representing about 3% of the total discharges with that diagnosis. The contribution of males to this death rate was in every year slightly higher than that of women in proportion to their discharges, by 10-15% in the years 2002-2005, and about 2% in 2001.

You can read more of this report by clicking here or visiting the Men’s section on our website or the Downloads page.


Can eating honey or pollen after surgery may reduce adhesions?

Dr. Kemel Kismet and his colleagues from Ankara Turkey have found that eating honey or pollen may reduce the severity of adhesions. After surgery rats were fed honey and/or pollen. 21 days later adhesion scores were reduced, with no dense adhesions found in the rats given honey or pollen. The researchers speculate that the honey and pollen may have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties that could help to reduce adhesions.

To read the full abstract and paper, click here.


IAS Conference Tapes

So you could not make it to Detroit for the IAS Inaugural meeting on March 12, 2001? Don’t worry because now you can order a set of tapes containing the following lectures:

  • Dr. Michael Diamond – “The Significance of Adhesions”
  • Dr. Lena Holmdahl – “Advances in the Understanding of Adhesions”
  • Dr. David Wiseman -”International Adhesions Society: Patient Perspectives, Why Adhesions Form and Challenges Ahead.”

As well as the following additional lectures:

  • Dr. David Wiseman – “The Use of Crystalloid (Salt) Solutions for Adhesion Prevention
  • Dr. David Wiseman – “TEN (and more) WAYS YOUR DOCTOR CAN HELP TO REDUCE or ALLEVIATE ADHESIONS”

Click here to purchase your set or one for a friend today!