Pulsed Shortwave Therapy Device by BioElectronics: Promising Results in Treating Phantom and Residual Limb Pain”
BioElectronics Corporation has publicized a study delving into the efficacy of its pulsed shortwave therapy device for treating phantom and residual limb pain. The study protocol involved patients initially donning BioElectronics’ Model 088 device, with half wearing a sham device and the rest using the active device on the residual limb for 28 days. Subsequently, after 28 days, the patients switched devices, with the sham group transitioning to the active device and vice versa, again for a 28-day period.
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BioElectronics Corporation
For both phantom pain and residual pain, three primary metrics were gathered, alongside a global evaluation of changes in pain levels before, during, and after each 28-day phase. The researchers presented their findings through chronological graphs, differentiating between periods when patients wore the sham or active device. Results indicated that wearing the sham device led to no significant changes in median phantom limb pain or residual limb pain, and there was no median alteration in the global assessment of pain.
In contrast, when patients wore the active device, an average reduction of 40% to 50% in median measures for both average and worst residual and phantom limb pain was reported by day 7, continuing through day 28. Furthermore, a majority of patients, while using the active device, reported substantial improvements in global change in residual pain, reaching “very much better” by day 21 and persisting through day 28.
Positive outcomes were also observed in phantom limb pain, with a majority of subjects reporting significant improvement. The researchers advocate for further investigation, noting the identified positive treatment effects associated with BioElectronics’ Model 088 in a setting characterized by a low-cost and low-risk intervention. Currently, in the United States, 1.6 million people live with limb loss, and projections suggest that due to the increasing prevalence of diabetes, a major contributor to amputations, this number could rise to 3.6 million by 2050.
More than 7 in 10 individuals who undergo limb amputation experience persistent pain, with nearly 4 in 10 reporting severe pain. Many also grapple with depression and anxiety linked to phantom limb pain, impacting daily activities such as sleep, work, and social interactions. Traditional approaches involve prescribing medications, including opioids; however, their effectiveness is limited, and they come with serious side effects, including the risk of addiction. Armed with these published findings, BioElectronics Corporation aims to collaborate with qualified distribution partners to market and sell its innovative pulsed shortwave device, addressing a substantial unmet medical need.
