St Jude Medical has launched the Infinity deep brain stimulation (DBS) system and directional DBS lead in Europe.
The system, which received CE mark approval late in 2015, is designed to support the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, tremor and dystonia.
The first physician to implant the new Infinity system and the St Jude Medical directional lead was Jan Vesper, a professor of functional neurosurgery and stereotaxy at the University Hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany, and president of the German Neuromodulation Society.
“The Infinity system is the first DBS system I’ve encountered that adjusts to the patient’s individual needs, rather than forcing the patient to adjust to the system,” says Vesper. “Offering my patients a DBS system with exceptional ease of use and smooth manageability is an exciting step in the treatment of debilitating movement disorders.”
According to a company release, the new St Jude Medical directional lead can deliver stimulation more precisely through eight independent electrodes designed to allow physicians to specifically direct current to targeted structures and areas of the brain. This advance will allow physicians to tailor the therapy to a patient’s specific needs while avoiding unnecessary stimulation to areas that may create side effects.
Intended to promote patient comfort, the system is available in two different sizes. It features a long-lasting recharge-free system, and uses Bluetooth wireless technology and Apple digital devices for its patient controller and physician programmers. In addition, the system is also upgradeable, which could patients the potential to access new therapy advances as they are approved without the need for repeat surgery.
