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Chili Peppers: The Hot New
Cure for Surgical Pain?

Halifax Studies New Treatment
for Joint-Replacement Patients

Knee pain caused by wear and tear plagued 51-year-old Linda Groover for years. “But I’d heard horror stories about how terrible knee replacement was, so I put it off,” she said.

Then Richard Rhodes, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and Chief of the Investigational Review Board Advisory Committee at Halifax Health, suggested Groover participate in a nationwide clinical trial investigating capsaicin, the chemical that numbs your tongue and lips when you bite into a chili pepper. Since undergoing surgery using capsaicin, Groover has been pain-free.

Keeping Patients off Narcotics

Dr. Rhodes is one of the principal investigators in this study, which involves pouring a vial of liquid into the open HALIFAX HEALTH halifaxhealth.org 5 orthopedics surgical site during a joint-replacement procedure. Neither he nor the patient knows whether the vial contains the capsaicin or a placebo. But almost immediately after surgery the answer becomes clear: The patients who receive the capsaicin are ready to get out of bed.

These results thrill Dr. Rhodes. “The capsaicin deadens nerve endings for several weeks, so the site can heal,” he explained. This means patients can avoid heavy pain medication. “Narcotics can make it hard to return to daily life or participate in physical therapy. They also may create dependency,” Dr. Rhodes said.

First-Rate Orthopedic Center

This study is one of many clinical trials that Dr. Rhodes has been a part of at Halifax Health. “Everyone here has been extremely encouraging,” he said. “Our full-service orthopedic center is first-rate.”

Next up is a study investigating the use of capsaicin to control arthritis pain. “I look forward to bringing that study to Halifax Health, too,” Dr. Rhodes added.