Next-Generation Technology Makes
Percept™ the First and Only DBS System with Ability to Capture
Patient-Specific Brain Signals for More Personalized,
Data-Driven Treatment
BRAMPTON, ON, Oct. 29, 2020 /CNW/ - Medtronic Canada ULC, a
subsidiary of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) – the world's largest
medical technology, services, and solutions companies
– announced today that it has received a Health Canada licence
for the Percept™ PC Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system with
BrainSense™ Technology. BrainSense technology makes Percept the
first and only licensed DBS neurostimulation system with the
ability to chronically capture and record brain signals while
delivering therapy to patients with neurologic disorders associated
with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, or epilepsy.
Physicians can now track patient brain signals and correlate these
with patient-recorded actions or experiences, such as symptoms,
side-effects, or medication intake. This enables more personalized,
data-driven neurostimulation treatment. The first implant of the
newly licensed device in Canada
will occur at Toronto Western Hospital.
"Percept is the first commercially available implantable pulse
generator with the ability to record and store the day-to-day brain
activity of patients with implanted electrodes for deep brain
stimulation," said Dr. Alfonso
Fasano, M.D., Ph.D., neurologist and professor of neurology
at the University of Toronto.
"Neurologists will have, for the first time, the opportunity to
monitor their patients' condition well beyond the relatively short
time devoted to the doctor-patient interaction in the clinic.
Percept will also expand our understanding of brain functioning
during physiological and pathological states and set the stage for
the development of closed-loop (i.e. adaptive) deep brain
stimulation."
DBS is an individualized therapy delivered from a small
pacemaker-like device, placed under the skin of the chest or
abdomen, to send electrical signals through very thin wires (leads)
to a targeted area in the brain related to the symptoms of a
neurological disorder, such as Parkinson's disease.
In addition to BrainSense technology, the Percept PC DBS system
features several leading-edge innovations, including:
- The only DBS system eligible for 3T and 1.5T full-body MRI
scans, providing patients access to cutting-edge medical
imaging.
- Smart battery for personalized prediction of remaining battery
life providing elevated peace of mind while planning for device
replacement.
- Improved battery longevity compared to Medtronic's Activa™ PC
neurostimulator (when using similar settings and functionality) in
a smaller (reduced volume), ergonomic design for patient
comfort.
- Low pulse width (duration of the pulse), providing expanded
stimulation options.
- Enhanced Patient Programmer leveraging a user-friendly,
custom-configured Samsung mobile device that helps patients manage
their therapy more easily.
- Designed to facilitate expanded capabilities in the future via
software upgrades – to prepare for what's next in DBS.
"There is nothing currently available that can replace clinical
judgement in treating patients. For the first time, this technology
gives clinicians feedback directly from the DBS patient's brain,"
said Mike Daly, vice president and
general manager of the Brain Modulation business, which is part of
the Restorative Therapies Group at Medtronic. "With such
data-driven, patient-specific insights, we believe it can change
the standard of care."
For further information on the Percept PC Neurostimulator with
BrainSense Technology, please visit: Medtronic.ca/Percept
About Medtronic DBS Therapy
DBS therapy is currently
licensed in many locations around the world, including the United States, Europe and Canada, for the treatment Parkinson's disease,
essential tremor, dystonia, and epilepsy.
DBS therapy uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar
to a cardiac pacemaker, to deliver electrical stimulation to
precisely targeted areas of the brain as adjunctive treatment for
several neurological disorders. Medtronic was the first in
Canada to offer full-body MR
Conditional DBS systems for patients to have safe scans anywhere on
the body under certain conditions. Since 1987, more than 175,000
Medtronic DBS devices have been implanted worldwide for movement
disorders and other indications.
About Medtronic Canada
Proudly serving Canadian
healthcare for over 50 years, Medtronic Canada ULC
(www.medtronic.ca), is a subsidiary of Medtronic plc, the world's
largest medical technology, services, and solutions companies
– alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for
millions of people around the world. Serving physicians, hospitals,
and patients across the country, Medtronic Canada ULC is
headquartered in Brampton,
Ontario, with regional offices in Montreal and Vancouver, and a Medtronic Resource Centre in
Surrey, BC. The company is focused
on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take
healthcare Further, Together.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic
reports on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Actual results may differ materially from anticipated
results.
SOURCE Medtronic Canada ULC