The device allows physicians to deliver patient-specific DBS therapy for the treatment of some symptoms associated with movement disorders
Medtronic operational headquarters in Fridley, Minnesota, US. (Credit: Group29 at English Wikipedia)
Medtronic has secured approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its SenSight directional lead system for deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy.
SenSight is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind DBS directional lead, which integrates the benefits of directionality with the potential of sense.
It will help physicians to provide patient-specific DBS therapy to treat some symptoms linked with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and essential tremor, and medically refractory epilepsy.
The DBS therapy involves sending electrical signals with a small pacemaker-like device through thin wires, called leads, to a targeted area in the brain related to symptoms of certain neurological disorders.
SenSight is said to be the first directional and sensing-enabled lead developed to improve the identification of local field potentials (LFPs), which are brain signals that corresponds with the severity of Parkinson’s disease symptoms,.
In combination with the Percept PC device, it allows the expansion of BrainSense technology to help clinicians to acquire and record directional LFP information from the implanted lead..
Upon identifying LFPs, physicians will be able to correlate the brain signals with stimulation and events capturing medication, symptoms, or side effects to deliver personalised and data-driven therapy.
In early June, multi-disciplinary teams have first implanted SenSight directional lead systems at the University of Florida. Recently, the company also secured CE mark approval for the system.
Medtronic neuroscience portfolio’s neuromodulation business general manager and vice president Mike Daly said: “We are excited to see the clinical benefits that the new SenSight directional lead system will provide to patients and physicians in the US.
“For over 25 years, Medtronic has driven discoveries and advancements in DBS therapy and we look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful innovation to the movement disorder and epilepsy patient communities.”
In March this year, Medtronic secured FDA approval for its Harmony transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) system to treat patients with congenital heart disease.