August 14, 2024

Compounded Relief: The Benefits of Rectal Rockets

In the compounding world, not much gets more shocked faces and chuckles than discussing the famous rectal rocket. Yes, you read that right … rectal rocket.  

A rectal rocket is not a product, per se, but a compounding dosage form that allows medication to be delivered in a unique way to rectal tissue affected by hemorrhoids or fissures. The medication used is up to the healthcare provider who prescribes it, but anti-inflammatories and numbing agents are frequently chosen for these rather uncomfortable conditions. 

In the late 1960s, Louisiana compounding pharmacists Robert and Jerry Boudreaux worked with an OBGYN to design the rectal rocket suppository mold to address postpartum hemorrhoids. The design of the rectal rocket allows medications to be in contact with the inflamed tissue of the rectum both internally and externally at the same time. Prior to the invention of this dosage form, patients had to insert a suppository that went higher in the rectum than desired and use a cream externally that rubbed off too quickly. The rectal rocket, on the other hand, allows the medication to stay in contact with the tissue in both areas overnight. Developing a dosage form that stayed in one place was a game changer. The rectal rocket even has a vent for patient comfort that allows air or gas to escape without completely expelling the suppository.

Despite the benefits, these new suppositories did not initially get widespread acceptance due to their unusual shape. Then, in the 1990s, Professional Compounding Centers of America remade the mold and started to distribute the new molds to its member pharmacies. Fast forward to 2024, and you would be hard pressed to find a compounding pharmacy that doesn’t make rectal rockets. 

If you or a loved one frequently fights with hemorrhoids or anal fissures, talk to your compounding pharmacist and health care provider about the rectal rocket. It may be the perfect solution!

 

By Ashley Berthelot, Director of Marketing, Business Development Specialist, Professional Arts Pharmacy