The 12-month data from the study showed 84% back pain responder rate and 69% profound responder rate for Intellis DTM SCS therapy
Intellis SCS platform is the world's smallest implantable neurostimulator. (Credit: Medtronic.)
Medtronic has announced that a large randomised controlled trial (RCT) of DTM Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) therapy, delivered through Intellis platform, was effective in reducing back pain, compared to traditional SCS therapy.
In the RCT, 84% people treated with DTM SCS experienced a minimum of 50% pain relief, compared to 51% of patients treated with conventional SCS at 12 months, said the company.
In addition, 69% patients who received DTM SCS therapy experienced profound back pain relief, with more than 80% reduction in VAS score, compared to 35.1% in patients receiving conventional SCS.
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is a commonly used method for measuring pain intensity, which records patient-reported pain on a scale of 0-10.
The study met its primary endpoint of non-inferiority at three months, and showed positive results for DTM SCS therapy versus conventional SCS in pre-specified secondary analysis, sustaining the results at 12 months.
Also, patients treated with DTM SCS also reported an average VAS score reduction of 75% in back pain, while patients treated with conventional SCS reported 50%.
Medtroinic’s Intellis SCS platform is the smallest implantable neurostimulator in the world
Designed to be delivered through the Medtronic Intellis SCS platform, DTM SCS therapy is a spinal cord stimulation technology for the treatment of patients with chronic pain.
The medical technology firm claimed that its Intellis SCS platform is the world’s smallest implantable neurostimulator, indicated to assist the chronic, intractable pain management.
Powered by unique overdrive battery technology, the implant aims to address limitations commonly found in other SCS systems, and is optimised for a broad range of energy demands.
The platform also comprises SureScan MRI technology for MRI scanning, and AdaptiveStim technology for automatic adjustment of stimulation based on the patient’s requirement.
The Center for Interventional Pain & Spine anesthesiologist Michael Fishman said: “DTM SCS has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with chronic back pain. More than two-thirds of the patients in this RCT achieved profound pain relief of at least 80% with DTM SCS therapy.
“These outcomes demonstrate that DTM SCS can provide more patients profound pain relief compared with conventional SCS at 12 months, which physicians should consider when selecting a neuromodulation therapy for their patients.”