How the Medtronic Stimulator Delivers Targeted Therapy

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, nearly 1.1 million people in the US are affected by Parkinson’s disease, with 90,000 new cases being diagnosed every year. Apart from medication, several other kinds of therapeutic interventions have been introduced to manage the symptoms. In this regard, some of the best products are Medtronic stimulator systems that deliver targeted therapy for the management of Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, dystonia, and even chronic pain.

In this article, we will go through the Medtronic stimulator systems and learn how they work for the relief of pain.

What is the Medtronic Stimulator System?

Medtronic stimulator systems are devices used for the management of chronic pain as well as movement disorders. These work by sending mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord or brain, leading to an altered sense of pain either by blocking or changing pain signals.

Such neurostimulators are placed under the skin and are connected to the spinal cord through a thin wire. However, some of these devices are attached to the abdomen or placed near the clavicle. A remote is provided to adjust the settings.

How Do the Medtronic Stimulator Systems Work?

As hinted above, the Medtronic stimulator systems work by sending low-intensity electrical signals generated by a battery to the spinal cord. These are small-sized, pacemaker-like devices that are usually surgically implanted under the skin, either in the abdomen or in the buttocks. As they are thin, they do not disturb the patient.

When used for chronic pain, these systems change the sensation of pain by altering the messages being sent to the brain. As a result, severe pain is replaced either by a mild tingling or no sensation at all.

Similarly, these systems are also effective for restoring bowel and bladder control by correcting the miscommunication between the sacral nerves and the brain. This way, lasting relief can be achieved, primarily due to the InterStim system in the devices.

Moreover, by automatically sensing the changes in the patient’s body position, these Medtronic stimulator systems adjust their stimulation automatically. Due to these safe and minimally invasive devices and revolutionary technologies, the company claims to have helped more than 375,000 patients worldwide.

Medtronic Stimulator Systems: Features and Specifications

When it comes to Medtronic stimulator systems, there are many devices that have been introduced to act on the spinal cord. Most of them come with rechargeable batteries that are long-lasting and take less time to charge. In addition, different technologies have been integrated into these systems to achieve varying benefits. Let us explore some of these Medtronic stimulator systems in the following section:

Intellis Pro Spinal Cord Stimulation System

One of the well-known Medtronic stimulator systems is the Intellis Pro spinal cord stimulation device, which is a small-sized rechargeable medical instrument. It comes with AdaptiveStim technology for automatic adjustment of the therapy depending upon the patient’s body position as well as movement. This way, a personalized treatment becomes possible for up to seven different body positions.

In addition, these Medtronic stimulator systems also contain Overdrive battery technology that is capable of retaining its 95% capacity after nine years of use. The device is smaller in size and has a thin structure that allows easy placement, along with providing high patient comfort.

The Advanced MRI Access allows unimpeded access to 1.5T and 3T MRI scanners. In addition, the Snapshot Reporting allows healthcare providers to monitor the patient’s activity and check their progress.

Prominent Features

• Easy to use, small and discreet system
• Auto-adjustment of therapy based on movement or position
• High capacity, long-lasting battery
• Easy patient monitoring
• Facilitation of necessary diagnostic scans

Inceptiv Spinal Cord Neurostimulation System

The Inceptiv spinal cord neurostimulation system works by sensing the patient’s neural response and changing the stimulation in real time with an aim to maintain consistent therapy during different patient activities. For this purpose, the device has an automatic closed-loop technology. The device is automatic and seamless, allowing greater freedom to the patient by providing consistent therapy.

In addition, these Medtronic stimulator systems also give full-body 1.5T and 3T MRI access, along with impedance independence. This is helpful for patients who require scans. Moreover, the system can also scan fully discharged devices. A rechargeable battery is also provided with the system, which is highly durable and retains up to 95% of its capacity over a period of 15 years.

Prominent Features

• Easy to use, small and discreet system
• Auto-adjustment of therapy based on patient’s neural response
• Automatic, responsive, and seamless
• 50 times per second stimulation adjustment based on patient’s activity
• Facilitation of necessary diagnostic scans

Vanta Neurostimulation System

The Vanta neurostimulation system is a Medtronic stimulator system that has been designed for the management of chronic, intractable pain, particularly of the trunk and the limbs. This also includes pain that is unilateral or bilateral. The electrode redistribution feature of the device allows a precise balance of the stimulation over the electrodes, resulting in a personalized response for each patient.

In addition, these Vanta neurostimulation systems allow the monitoring of the patient’s progress due to their Snapshot and AdaptiveStim features. For easy and quick access to images, the system also contains a fluoroscopy image library. The device has also been claimed to last at least 2X longer than other comparable devices. Furthermore, the SureScan MRI technology allows MRI scans anywhere on the body, resulting in diagnostic care.

Despite their several benefits and high safety, these Vanta neurostimulation systems should not be used if the patient needs diathermy, i.e., a process involving high-frequency electrical currents to generate heat within the body tissues to heal pain and increase blood flow. This is because the energy generated during the process can be transferred into the implanted Medtronic stimulator system, leading to tissue damage. In some cases, severe injuries or even death can occur.

Prominent Features

• Easy to use, small and discreet system
• Possibility of monitoring patient’s progress
• Allows MRI scans anywhere on the body
• Precise and personalized response for each patient
• Not suitable during diathermy

Activa RC Neurostimulation System

The Activa RC neurostimulation system has been especially designed for providing deep brain stimulation therapy for the management of movement disorders, leading to a precise programming experience. Therefore, the system is considered useful for the management of some of the symptoms of levodopa-responsive Parkinson’s disease that are not fully controlled with medication. In addition, these systems can also suppress tremors in the upper extremities.

Moreover, these Activa RC neurostimulation systems deliver a wireless recharging experience and have compatibility with the SenSight directional lead. With their 15-year long battery life, the product can be benefited from for a long time. The wireless recharge experience allows mobility while charging. In addition, proprietary recharge algorithms allow the maintenance of safe temperatures. As the system can deliver stimulation to two areas, it offers broad control.

Like other Medtronic stimulator systems, these Activa RC neurostimulation systems are also contraindicated to be used in patients who need to go through shortwave, microwave, or therapeutic ultrasound diathermy due to a higher risk of severe injury or even death. During its use, the system is implanted near the clavicle or in the abdomen, and the leads are connected to the brain.

Prominent Features

• Easy to use, small and lightweight system
• 15-year long battery life
• 1.5T full body MRI access
• Precise and personalized response for each patient
• Not suitable during diathermy

Percept™ PC Neurostimulator with BrainSense™ Technology

Percept™ PC neurostimulator with BrainSense™ technology is a Medtronic stimulator system that has been fashioned for deep brain stimulation (DBS). The product helps in the management of some of the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. The system has been particularly intended for use among patients who are suffering from tremors that cannot be adequately controlled with medication.

Furthermore, these Percept™ PC neurostimulators with BrainSense™ technology are also considered useful for reducing the frequency of partial-onset seizures among individuals above 18 years of age.

In addition, the Percept™ PC neurostimulator with BrainSense™ technology is claimed to be the thinnest device in its domain, leading to higher patient comfort. The product is also recharge-free and comes with smart battery technology. The real-time estimation of battery longevity keeps the patient informed about how long the system is in its working state. A custom mobile device allows easy therapy management.

Prominent Features

• Easy to use, thinnest PC on the market
• Real-time estimation of battery longevity
• Personalized snapshot of patient’s brain signals
• Auto-adjustment of therapeutic stimulation over 24-hour period
• Not suitable during diathermy or for patients who cannot properly operate the system

Percept™ RC Neurostimulator with BrainSense™ Technology

Percept™ RC neurostimulator with BrainSense™ technology is one of the Medtronic stimulator systems that provide deep brain stimulation (DBS) to ensure the provision of personalized, data-driven therapy for epilepsy, dystonia, Parkinson’s disease, and essential tremors. The system offers real-time sensing, directionality, and rapid recharging that takes under 60 minutes.

Furthermore, these Percept™ RC neurostimulators with BrainSense™ technology are also MRI compatible and, therefore, neither interferes with the procedure nor puts the patient’s safety at risk. The BrainSense technology works by capturing brain signals so that the healthcare providers can have insights into patient’s symptoms based on real-time data.

In addition, the Percept™ RC neurostimulator with BrainSense™ technology comes with advanced sensing technology that records brain activity with stimulation. This way, the system allows checking the symptoms, medication, and side effects at the same time.

Prominent Features

• Easy to use, small and lightweight system
• Up to 90% recharging within 60 minutes
• 15-year service life
• MRI compatibility
• Not suitable during diathermy or for patients who cannot properly operate the system

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Conclusion

Issues like chronic pain, dystonia, and tremors become common among people with advancing age. When it comes to their management, several medications have been introduced that are efficacious, yet cannot fully alleviate the symptoms. In this regard, certain stimulator systems have been introduced to aid the therapeutic interventions.

One of these are Medtronic stimulator devices that are effective and easy to use. These are applied to the skin and work by sending electrical signals to the spinal cord to mask pain. In addition, some of them also provide deep brain stimulation to give relief to those affected with Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy. Overall, the systems are easy to use and have a longer battery life.

Considering their importance, the Medtronic stimulator systems are an integral part of diabetic care and are, therefore, needed within all the relevant healthcare facilities as well as in home settings. For purchasing different kinds of medical devices, including the Medtronic stimulator systems, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.

References

https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/statistics