This week has seen the World Institute of Pain 7th World Congress in Maastricht, The Netherlands May 7-10, 2014. New retrospective data presented at the event demonstrates that Boston Scientific’s Precision Spectra™ Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) System provided sustained and highly significant relief of low-back pain six months after implantation.
Background
Spinal cord stimulators deliver electrical pulses from an implantable pulse generator to leads with stimulating contacts. These contacts provide pain relief by masking pain signals traveling to the brain. By providing 32 contacts – twice the number of contacts available with other SCS systems – the Precision Spectra System claims to offer more coverage of the spinal cord for the management of chronic pain.
Late last year we covered news that Boston Scientific’s Precision Spectra was churning out impressive pain relief outcomes in a study presented at the time. Precision Spectra is the first SCS System designed to improve pain relief using the innovative and highly advanced Illumina 3D Software, a three dimensional anatomy-driven computer model that takes into account the conductivity of 3D anatomical structures and physician placement of the SCS leads, so limits stimulation to target areas.
The newly reported retrospective study of 213 patients at 13 centers is focused on patients with chronic pain who were treated with the Precision Spectra SCS System.
To date, 140 patients have reached six months post-implant. Results include:
- Sustained and highly significant reduction in pain from an average baseline score of 7.15, on a 10-point scale, to an average score of 2.93 at six months post-implant (n=140).
- In those patients with only low-back pain (N=62), sustained and highly significant reduction of low back pain, from an average baseline score of 7.53, on a 10-point scale, to an average of 3.45 at six months post-implant.
- In those patients with severe low back pain (N=38, baseline score of 8 or greater on a 10-point scale), sustained and highly significant reduction in pain, from an average score of 8.78 at baseline to 3.68 at 6 months post-implant.
Investigator comments
“The goal of SCS is sustained pain relief, and individuals with chronic back pain are among the most difficult to treat,” said Salim Hayek, M.D., Ph.D., chief, Division of Pain Medicine at University Hospitals of Cleveland. “In this study, these retrospective results demonstrate that the Precision Spectra System is maintaining effective therapy for these challenging patients out to six months post-implant.”
Company comments
“Boston Scientific specifically developed the Precision Spectra System to achieve better therapy outcomes,” said Maulik Nanavaty, president, Neuromodulation, Boston Scientific. “These six-month results demonstrate our dedication to improving the lives of patients with chronic pain through meaningful innovation. We look forward to the long-term outcomes of this ongoing clinical study.”
Source: Boston Scientific Corporation, PR Newswire
published: May 9, 2014 in: Boston Scientific, Clinical Studies/Trials, Congresses and Meetings, Pain management