The launch of the Spectra WaveWriter spinal cord stimulator (SCS; Boston Scientific) system in Europe has been announced. The Spectra WaveWriter SCS system is the first and only system for the treatment of chronic pain to be able to simultaneously combine paraesthesia-based and sub-perception therapy. The new system with these therapeutic options is designed to allow physicians and patients to customise therapy and capture real-time feedback to treat chronic and debilitating pain successfully.
SCS works by sending electrical impulses to the spinal cord and masking the pain messages travelling to the brain. These electrical impulses can vary in frequency, pulse width and amplitude and provide pain relief with a light tingling sensation known as paraesthesia-based therapy or with sub-perception therapy that works without sensation.
The Spectra WaveWriter SCS system allows physicians and patients to specifically target one area of pain, or multiple areas, with one or both types of therapy to address individual needs. Patients are also able to provide real-time feedback, using the Spectra WaveWriter SCS system remote control which is designed to simplify and personalise their therapy.
“Pain is very personal, and everyone experiences it differently. Pain also changes over time, which for chronic pain patients means that their bodies may become accustomed to treatment and its effectiveness declines,” said Vivek Mehta, consultant in Pain Medicine and honorary senior lecturer, Queen Mary University, London and director, Pain & Anaesthesia Research Centre, Barts Health, London. “The Spectra WaveWriter SCS system allows us to combine multiple treatment options in one single device, intended to give patients truly personalised therapy that evolves just as their pain does to provide lasting relief.”
The Spectra WaveWriter SCS system was developed with more than a decade of clinical research focused on optimising sub-perception and delivering multiple therapies intended for more effective, long-term pain relief. These studies include the WHISPER study and the PROCO study. In addition, the first clinical multicentre, observational real-world data with over 200 patients using the Spectra WaveWriter SCS system demonstrated significant improvement in overall pain, with almost 90% of patients reporting more than a 50% improvement in their pain.
