MEDTRONIC DBS SYSTEM
The neurostimulator creates the electrical pulses that control some of the movement symptoms of essential tremor on one side of the body.
A very thin wire called a lead delivers electrical signals from the neurostimulator to the brain.
Your doctor will use a programming device to adjust the settings.
You may have a device, similar to a remote control, which allows you to turn the system on and off and check the battery. You may also be able to adjust the stimulation within options programmed by your doctor.
ACTIVA™ NEUROSTIMULATORS
Your system will include an Activa™ PC, Activa™ SC, or Activa™ RC neurostimulator. The neurostimulator delivers stimulation to one side of the brain through one wire to control symptoms of essential tremor.
Your doctor will recommend the right Medtronic neurostimulator for your needs. The battery in an Activa™ PC or Activa™ SC device does not need to be recharged. The neurostimulator lasts 3 to 5 years on average, depending on the programmed settings. The Activa™ RC neurostimulator has a rechargeable battery that allows you to keep the same device for 15 years between replacements. You recharge the battery regularly with an external recharger.
*Activa™ RC devices eligible for the service life extension and the supplemental limited warranty are those devices sold in the US that have been successfully interrogated with the Medtronic Activa™ Clinician Programmer prior to reaching End of Service (EOS).
STORES YOUR THERAPY INFORMATION
The neurostimulator stores important data about itself and the programmed settings that have worked for you in the past. This means you don't need to carry such records if you travel or switch clinics. A doctor can access the information in your neurostimulator with a clinician programmer.
DBS PATIENT PROGRAMMER
You will have a device, similar to a remote control, which allows you to turn the DBS system on and off and to check the battery. You may also be able to adjust the stimulation within options programmed by your doctor. The patient programmer will alert you about 3 months before the battery runs out, so you have plenty of time to plan for replacement.
ACCESS TO MRI SCANS ANYWHERE ON THE BODY
We know it’s important that you have safe* access to MRI if you need this important test to diagnose a medical condition or injury. We offer the first full-body MR Conditional* DBS systems, which means it is safe* to have scans anywhere on the body with some Medtronic DBS devices under certain conditions.
LEADING THE WAY IN DBS
Development of DBS Therapy started in 1987 and Medtronic has been the leader in the field ever since. Medtronic DBS Therapy for Tremor Control was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1997.
In the United States, Medtronic DBS Therapy is approved to treat some of the movement symptoms of Parkinson's Disease and some of the symptoms of essential tremor. Medtronic DBS Therapy is also approved under a Humanitarian Device Exemption† for dystonia and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Founded in 1949, we’re among the world's largest medical technology, services, and solutions companies, serving physicians, hospitals, and patients in more than 160 countries. Medtronic medical devices include heart pacemakers, diabetes pumps, stents, surgical tools, and many others.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.
*
Medtronic DBS systems are MR Conditional which means they are safe for MRI scans under certain conditions. If the conditions are not met, the MRI could cause tissue heating especially at the implanted lead(s) in the brain which may result in serious and permanent injury or death. Before having an MRI, always talk with the doctor who manages your DBS Therapy to determine your eligibility and discuss potential benefits and risks of MRI. For further information, please call Medtronic at 1-800-328-0810.
†
Humanitarian Device - Authorized by Federal Law as an aid in the management of chronic, intractable (drug refractory) primary dystonia, including generalized and/or segmental dystonia, hemidystonia, and cervical dystonia (torticollis), in patients seven years of age or above and for use as an adjunct to medications and as an alternative to anterior capsulotomy for treatment of chronic, severe, treatment-resistant obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in adult patients who have failed at least three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The effectiveness of the devices for treating these conditions has not been demonstrated.