Medtronic has received a Health Canada licence for SureTune3 software for deep brain stimulation (DBS). The latest innovations in the SureTune technology are designed to allow for more precise, efficient treatment while also improving patient management with centralised data storage for easy reference.
SureTune3 provides patient-specific visualisation of lead location and simulated volume of neural activation to help physicians make decisions on how to programme their patient’s DBS therapy.
Medtronic DBS therapy has been licensed for diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and is designed to treat symptoms such as tremors by applying mild electrical stimulation via leads or “guidewires” to precise targets in the brain.
SureTune3’s advancements are intended to streamline physician workflow and allow StealthStation surgical planning information to be imported for lead placement—including Activa DBS leads. SureTune3 also contains a 3D-deformable atlas, designed to allow physicians to more precisely define anatomical structures, or the exact spot in the brain that must be stimulated to alleviate symptoms. The SureTune3 system is downloadable with the option to work over a hospital’s server, which a company release states will allow clinical multidisciplinary teams to work flexibly. SureTune3 is currently not approved in the USA.
“It is a vital goal to obtain the best clinical outcomes for our patients. Software—such as SureTune3—can accurately visualise patient-specific stimulation settings and expedite the data while treating patients with DBS,” says Christopher Honey, professor of Neurosurgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. “Further, this software can allow our hospital server to integrate all the procedure and patient data so I can provide more personalised case management with faster programming.”
Medtronic DBS therapy applies mild electrical stimulation to precise targets in the brain to modulate specific symptom control. The brain targets are stimulated through lead(s) inserted into the brain and connected to an implantable neurostimulator through extensions running under the skin. A medical professional uses an external programmer to set and adjust stimulation settings. Medtronic DBS therapy is licensed in Canada for Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, essential tremor and epilepsy. Under specific conditions, the release states, the device is full-body MR-conditional and can be left on during an MRI scan.
