Via BusinessWeek, a report that Medtronic has received FDA approval for its Restore device:
The Restore is a stopwatch-sized device that sends electrical pulses to the spine via eight electrodes to block pain signals from reaching the brain. The device is approved to treat chronic pain, or pain that recurs for more than six months, associated with such spine-related conditions as failed back syndrome, post laminectomy pain, unsuccessful disc surgery or degenerative disc disease.
…The company said the device is an improvement over similar pain-relief devices in that the battery only needs to be charged once a month rather than once a week. Medtronic said the battery in the Restore can last for up to nine years.
More at Medtronic, Inc….