Medtronic has announced three-month results from an on-label, prospective, multicentre study showing meaningful pain relief using DTM SCS endurance therapy—a modified, lower-energy variation of the company’s Differential Target Multiplexed (DTM) spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy for chronic overall, back or leg pain. These data were first shared at the 25th North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) annual meeting (13–15 January 2022; Orlando, USA).
At three months, patients treated with DTM SCS endurance therapy reported meaningful pain relief as measured by a 3.9cm reduction in overall pain on the 10cm visual analogue scale (VAS). Patients also reported an average 4.3cm decrease in back pain and an average 5cm decrease in leg pain. The VAS is a widely used and accepted measure for pain intensity that captures patient-reported pain levels on a scale of 0–10, a Medtronic press release states.
These three-month results are consistent with those of a prior feasibility study and add to the body of DTM SCS evidence demonstrating that DTM SCS endurance therapy can provide effective pain relief along with additional quality of life and functional benefits for patients, the release adds.
Additional three-month data announced by Medtronic include:
- Some 69% of patients improved to a less disabled category as measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), with 63% having minimal or moderate disability at three months compared to just 16% at baseline.
- Some 75% of patients were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their therapy at three months.
Modelling based on actual three-month data also shows that DTM SCS endurance therapy enables between 5.5 and 7.5 years of device longevity when programmed on Medtronic’s Vanta recharge-free neurostimulator. For those in need of a rechargeable device, DTM SCS endurance therapy programmed on the company’s Intellis rechargeable neurostimulator allows either rapid recharge (five minutes per day) or recharges of approximately one hour every 12 days.
“These three-month results are highly encouraging, as they demonstrate that the DTM SCS endurance therapy may be able to provide effective pain relief while dosing at lower energy than other SCS waveforms,” said Kasra Amirdelfan, director of Clinical Research at IPM Medical Group and principal investigator on the DTM-LE trial. “This may improve device longevity and offers validation of therapy for the patients who would need it.”
Enrolled patients will have additional follow-up assessments at six and 12 months, the release also notes.
