FDA approves new DBS device from Medtronic
Medtronic Percept RC uses deep brain stimulation to treat movement disorders
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Medtronic‘s Percept RC deep brain stimulation (DBS) system, clearing it for use to treat Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
DBS is a surgical procedure in which an electrode is implanted in the brain to provide electrical stimulation to specific brain regions.
“Our DBS therapy with exclusive BrainSense technology can help control debilitating tremors for people living with Parkinson’s, providing patients with the ability to physically engage in everyday moments,” Amaza Reitmeier, vice president and general manager of brain modulation at Medtronic, said in a press release.
According to Medtronic, the newly approved system is the smallest and thinnest dual channel neurostimulator available for DBS. The system also is equipped with technology to monitor brain activity, which can help physicians to fine-tune and personalize DBS.
“While more data are needed, the sensing capability of this unique deep brain stimulation system allows me the potential to tune stimulation delivery to brain activity, which may be a way to personalize this therapy for Parkinson’s disease in the future,” said Casey Halpern, MD, a neurosurgeon at the University of Pennsylvania.
“For patients with movement disorders like Parkinson’s, being able to provide them with deep brain stimulation makes a huge impact. And being able to capture data from their lives outside of the clinic, based on what’s happening in their brains, provides me with more information for the type of care I’m able to provide,” Eleni Okeanis Vaou, MD, said in an email to Parkinson’s News Today.
Vaou is a deep brain stimulation expert with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She is not affiliated with Medtronic and neither she nor her institution endorse products or services.
Medtronic Percept charges quickly
The Percept system includes a rechargeable battery that, according to Medtronic, can be charged from 10% to 90% in less than an hour. The company says the electrode battery can offer at least 15 years of service life, and also notes that the Percept device is safe for use in MRI scans and is designed to allow software updates without needing to replace the device itself.
“As a neurologist, it’s really important to me that I choose technology that makes sense based on my patient’s needs. This new rechargeable neurostimulator will allow me to optimize the care I’m providing, making it more data driven, individualized and personalized, in a new format,” Vaou said.
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