St. Jude Medical has just announced European approval of its Epiducer lead delivery device. The system is designed for use in the implantation of paddle leads, which are used in neurostimulation therapy to treat patients suffering from chronic pain. By making lead implantation possible through a single, minimally invasive incision, the Epiducer system improves on traditional, more invasive methods of lead delivery.
From the press release:
The Epiducer system allows physicians to efficiently place neurostimulation S-Series perc-paddle leads and/or multiple lead arrays utilized in spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy for the management of chronic pain. Before the Epiducer system, the placement of paddle leads was only possible through a laminotomy, a more invasive surgical procedure, which typically requires removal of part of the vertebral bone.