AtriCure, Inc. announced that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance of additional labeling claims for cryo nerve block (cryoNB) therapy to include the treatment of adolescent patients (12-21 years of age). The cryoICE® and cryoSPHERE™ cryoablation probes are designed to temporarily block pain by ablating intercostal nerves under direct visualization in adolescent patients of at least 12 years of age. AtriCure’s cryoICE technology uses a unique freezing method to block nerves from transmitting pain signals for several months. Because of its long-lasting nature, physicians are adopting cryoNB therapy as part of their multi-modal pain management strategy. Adolescent patients undergoing invasive surgery of the chest wall can experience severe pain and have limited options for pain management after surgery. One of these procedures is to address structural deformities of the chest wall, a condition known as pectus excavatum. The preferred corrective procedure is a minimally invasive surgery known as the Nuss procedure and cryoNB therapy has shown to be safe and effective for post-operative pain management for adolescent patients.