I have Medtronic's Access Review device Model 7438 Therapy Controller which 
can tell you if your batteries are on or off.  Everybody who has had DBS is 
supposed to have this.  I went through a great deal of trouble to get it, 
but never learned to use it.  My hands are so clumsy it is hard to 
manipulate anything, but these new stimulators and devices sound like if I 
am more patient and can learn, I will have some control over my 
neurostimulators.  Thanks, John, for all this info.

Ray
Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
[log in to unmask]

--------------------------------------------------
From: "John Cottingham" 
<[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:28 PM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: More news: Rechargeable battery for DBS

> This is more information on the new stimulators.
>
> I for one got about 8 1/2 years battery life on the stimulator that was on 
> 24/7. During that period I left the other one turned off to overcome 
> slurring of speech and just turned it on when I needed to write. It is now 
> my only one that is still working and since I live outside of the US 
> Medicare assistance in payment is not an option.
>
> Here is additional information on the patient controllers that offer 
> multiple programs patient selected to match the activity anticipated with 
> a program for that activity. This is a far cry from the magnet only.
>
>>MINNEAPOLIS - May 21, 2009 - Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) today announced 
>>U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Activa® RC and Activa 
>>PC, the most innovative deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices available for 
>>the treatment of the symptoms of advanced Parkinson's disease and 
>>essential tremor.  Medtronic DBS Therapy delivers small electrical pulses 
>>to precisely targeted areas within one or both sides of the brain to help 
>>patients achieve greater control over disabling body movements.  The new 
>>devices will be available in the United States in June.
>>
>>Both Activa RC and Activa PC devices provide bi-lateral stimulation (to 
>>both sides of the brain) and offer a more advanced approach to device 
>>programming, and additional tools for capturing history relevant to the 
>>patient's therapy.  New programming options provide greater ability to 
>>fine tune the stimulation field and give patients more options to optimize 
>>their settings compared to previous DBS devices.  Additionally, 
>>information about patient symptoms and side effects can be stored in the 
>>device, which is helpful to physicians in determining the best programming 
>>settings for each patient.
>>
>>These next generation devices also have a hand-held patient programmer, 
>>which features new advancements, including an LCD screen that provides 
>>valuable information such as the level of battery charge.  The programmer 
>>allows patients to alternate between stimulation settings pre-programmed 
>>by their clinician so they can customize their therapy based on their 
>>activity.
>>
>>"The Activa RC and Activa PC devices offer exciting new programming 
>>features that can further enhance the therapeutic benefit of deep brain 
>>stimulation for patients with Parkinson's disease and other movement 
>>disorders," said Leo Verhagen, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the 
>>Surgery Program for Movement Disorders at Rush University Medical Center, 
>>Chicago.  "This advanced technology will offer more programming features 
>>that allow doctors to optimize stimulation effects and also provide 
>>options for patients to better control and monitor their therapy settings. 
>>For appropriate patients who require high energy settings on their DBS 
>>devices, the rechargeable device (Activa RC) may eliminate the need for 
>>frequent battery changes."
>>
>>Activa PC is powered by a primary cell (non-rechargeable) battery that 
>>does not require any regular maintenance from the patient to provide 
>>continuous stimulation for multiple years.  The Activa PC neurostimulator 
>>represents a 20 percent reduction in size and weight compared to previous 
>>bi-lateral devices and has similar battery life.
>>
>>Activa RC is the first and only rechargeable DBS neurostimulator in the 
>>world and lasts for nine years before replacement is necessary.  Patients 
>>need to recharge the device at home on a regular basis depending on their 
>>stimulation settings. Activa RC, also significantly smaller than previous 
>>bi-lateral devices, is expected to be used for select patients who have 
>>high-energy stimulation requirements.
>>
>>Both Activa RC and Activa PC were approved in Europe in August 2008. 
>>Activa PC has become the most widely used device in Europe for bi-lateral 
>>DBS therapy.
>>
>>"Activa RC and Activa PC expand our family of DBS therapy devices to give 
>>patients and physicians the flexibility they need to customize a 
>>successful DBS treatment program to manage the debilitating symptoms of 
>>movement disorders like Parkinson's disease and essential tremor," said 
>>Richard E. Kuntz, M.D., president of the Neuromodulation business and 
>>senior vice president at Medtronic.  "These devices also accentuate 
>>Medtronic's place as the long-time pioneer and leader in neuromodulation 
>>technology, represented by the only commercially available DBS therapy 
>>system in the United States, 20 years of DBS experience, and an ongoing 
>>commitment to further pursuit of technological innovations to improve the 
>>lives of patients."
>>
>>About Medtronic DBS Therapy
>>Medtronic launched DBS in the United States in 1997 for the treatment of 
>>essential and Parkinson's tremor.  Since the initial launch of DBS 
>>therapy, the list of indications has grown to include management of the 
>>symptoms of advanced Parkinson's disease (approved in 2002), dystonia 
>>(approved under a humanitarian device exemption (HDE) in 2003), and 
>>obsessive compulsive disorder (approved under an HDE in 2009).  To date, 
>>more than 60,000 people worldwide have received Medtronic DBS therapy.
>>
>>The DBS therapy system consists of implantable and external components. 
>>Implanted components of the system include the lead, which is a thin 
>>coiled wire with electrodes on the end that are placed in a specific 
>>target in the brain; the extension wire to connect the lead to the 
>>neurostimulator; and the neurostimulator, which, similar to a pacemaker, 
>>is placed beneath the skin in the chest and produces the tiny electrical 
>>pulses that are believed to block abnormal brain function that causes 
>>disabling movements.
>>
>>External components of the system:
>>
>>Physician programmer: the physician programmer (N-Vision®) is used to 
>>adjust stimulation programming settings.  The electrical pulses can be 
>>non-invasively adjusted by a clinician using the physician programmer and 
>>transmitted via radio telemetry to the implanted neurostimulator.
>>Patient programmer:  the hand-held programmer is used by the patient to 
>>turn the neurostimulator off or on, check the battery status, or choose 
>>their stimulation settings within a range of options preset by the 
>>physician.
>>Activa RC utilizes a wearable charging system which includes the patient 
>>controller, recharge antenna, and belt to hold the components in place 
>>while re-charging.  A patient can move about while recharging, which 
>>typically takes a couple of hours every two weeks.
>>Medtronic's Leadership in DBS
>>Medtronic, in collaboration with leading physicians around the world, 
>>pioneered DBS therapy.  The company has been involved in more than 1,500 
>>clinical studies and continues to pursue additional studies today to 
>>evaluate the promise of this therapy for other chronic, debilitating 
>>neurological conditions.
>>
>>About Medtronic
>>Medtronic, Inc. (http://www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, 
>>is the global leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring 
>>health and extending life for millions of people around the world.
>>
>>
>>Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such 
>>as those described in Medtronic's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
>>ended April 25, 2008. Actual results may differ materially from 
>>anticipated results.
>
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