With the first US implant of its new Activa SC neurostimulator for deep brain stimulation therapy, Medtronic announced the technology’s commercial availability throughout the United States and Europe.
The single-channel Activa SC complements Medtronic’s industry-leading Activa PC and Activa RC dual-channel deep brain stimulation offerings. The systems are used to treat the symptoms of advanced Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor in the USA and Europe. The device is also approved for dystonia in Europe.
The Activa SC system is comprised of an implantable neurostimulator; a thin, insulated lead that is placed in a specific target within the brain; and an extension to connect the neurostimulator and the lead. Like Activa PC, Activa SC is powered by a primary cell (non-rechargeable) battery that does not require maintenance from the patient to provide continuous stimulation for multiple years. An external physician programmer is used to non-invasively adjust stimulation programming parameters, and a hand-held patient programmer with an LCD screen is used by the patient to modify pre-set stimulation settings or check the battery status.
“We are excited to be the first institution in the United States to offer Activa SC, an important new technology that greatly enhances our ability to treat and customise therapy for a large group of our patients,” said Richard Simpson, attending neurosurgeon, Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, USA, who implanted the first Activa SC device in the USA.
Activa SC was first introduced in Europe, where the initial implant was performed by Rick Schuurman, at the Academisch Medisch Centrum, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Medtronic provides the industry’s only complete portfolio of next-generation deep brain stimulation systems to meet individual patient needs, all in a single programming platform. The advanced programming features of Activa devices provide clinicians with greater ability to fine-tune stimulation and customise their patients’ therapy, which may help patients reach optimised settings sooner.
“More than 15 years since Medtronic’s deep brain stimulation therapy was first introduced, it remains one of the most innovative therapies available for movement disorders,” said Tom Tefft, president of the Neuromodulation business and senior vice president at Medtronic.
