| abstract |
The invention disclosed herein relates to a method of reducing the joint pain associated with hemarthrosis. The method includes administering a COX-2 inhibitor, such as rofecoxib, celecoxib, valdecoxib, etoricoxib or other "coxib" drug which is encapsulated in PLGA micro- particles. The COX-2 inhibitor can be administered directly to an area where pain exists by a commercial painless micro-needle injection device. In a preferred embodiment, rofecoxib can be encapsulated in PLGA micro-particles for controlled, sustained release over a 2-8-week period. The non-systemic delivery and the controlled, sustained release of rofecoxib are believed to alleviate the cardiovascular side effects associated with systemic rofecoxib treatments. |