The new Synergy Neurostimulation Systems were implanted by Dr. Eric Buchser,
at Hopital de Zone in Morges, Switzerland and by Dr. Jean-Pierre Van Buyten at
AZ Maria Middelares Kliniek in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. The patients, an
82-year-old female, suffering from spinal stenosis and a 59-year-old male
suffering from failed back surgery syndrome are reported to be recovering
normally and are experiencing pain relief.
The Synergy System, which contains a battery and microelectronic circuitry, is
placed under the skin in the abdomen and connected to two leads, which are
placed near the spinal cord. The system is designed to send mild electrical
impulses through the leads to the spinal cord where the pain signal is
perceived. These electrical impulses may block the pain signals before they
reach the brain. The Synergy System uses two independent stimulation programs
working in concert to treat more complex pain patterns. Among the Synergy
Neurostimulator's features is its ability to interface with a hand-held
Synergy EZ(TM) programmer which allows patients to adjust levels of
stimulation within certain parameters.
"The Synergy system is a great advancement in the treatment of chronic pain,"
said Buchser. "In the past, we used external devices to treat patients with
complex pain. Now we can use a totally implantable device to relieve their
pain."
The Synergy Neurostimulator and the Synergy EZ programmer are not yet approved
for clinical use in the United States.
Chronic Pain is a major problem in society. It is estimated that 3.9 million
people in the United States suffer from chronic back pain, approximately
600,000 of these patients are candidates for spine surgery and 100,000 are
candidates for spinal cord stimulation.
"Medtronic remains committed to offering the most technologically advanced
devices to provide solutions for people suffering from chronic pain," said
Mike Selzer, vice president and general manager of Medtronic's
neurostimulation business. "The Synergy Neurostimulator is designed to offer
patients an easy-to-use solution to relieve their disabling pain."
Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., is the world's leading
medical technology company specializing in implantable and interventional
therapies. Its Internet address is http://www.medtronic.com.