St. Jude Medical has announced that all the 136 patients in a study testing the effectiveness of Libra DBS for symptoms of Parkinson’s have been implanted with the device. The deep brain stimulation system targets either the subthalamic nucleus or globus pallidus interna regions of the brain involved in muscle movement.
From a St. Jude Medical statement:
Ongoing at 15 medical centers in the U.S., this randomized, controlled study is evaluating the St. Jude Medical Libra and LibraXP™ DBS systems, to determine the devices’ safety and effectiveness in controlling many of the motor symptoms of advanced Parkinson’s disease. The study is following 136 participants who have lived with the disease for more than five years and whose symptoms were insufficiently controlled with medication alone.
“Ultimately patients benefit from the development of new technologies,” said Michele Tagliati, M.D., associate professor of neurology and division chief of movement disorders at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York who enrolled the first patient in the study. “We are hopeful the Libra deep brain stimulation systems will prove effective at reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and provide additional tools to better control this debilitating condition.”
The Libra and LibraXP neurostimulators are constant current devices. The systems consist of a neurostimulator – a surgically implanted battery-operated device that generates mild electrical pulses – and leads, which carry the pulses to a targeted area in the brain.
“The progressive nature of Parkinson’s disease often leads patients to a point where medication management alone can no longer adequately control the symptoms of the disease,” said Bruno Gallo, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at the University of Miami in Florida and an investigator in the study. “Because these patients often become unable to care for themselves, we need to look for additional methods of treating this debilitating condition in order to help improve a patient’s quality of life.”
Press release: St. Jude Medical Completes Implants in U.S. Study of Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease
Flashbacks: Libra DBS for Parkinson’s Going Live in Europe; Libra DBS Showing More Promise in Study; European Union Approves Deep Brain Stimulation Systems for Parkinson’s; St. Jude Receives Patent for Anti Depression Neurostimulation Method
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