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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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn