Boston Scientific Changes Lives With New Spinal Cord Stimulator

Posted by: KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 in Santa Clarita News July 13, 2013 - 10:00 am 0 254 Views

Boston Scientific has invented a way to stop chronic pain, so people can experience a better lifestyle again. They have recently developed the Precision Spectra Spinal Cord Stimulator System with Illumina 3D software and 32 contacts.

“Besides just the pain, it is the things [chronic pain] takes away from you, can’t act the way you would like to act…I was under control of the drug morphine,” said Holt.

The spinal cord stimulator made Holt’s life normal, as he claims that he was able to “do things he never had been able to do.”

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This new product is FDA approved and has already started enhancing the lives of people suffering from chronic pain. The Precision Spectra Spinal Cord Stimulator System will improve pain relief to a wide-range of patients who suffer from chronic pain.

Over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. This constant pain lowers the quality of life because those who suffer from chronic pain have difficulty sleeping, working, and carrying out a normal life.

The spinal cord stimulators are used to send electrical pulses from an implantable pulse generator with leads hooked-up that stimulate contacts in order to overrun pain signals that are being sent to the brain.

Dr. Frey, of Ventura County whose mission is to replace pain with life said, “the stimulation has been compared to tingling, vibrations, or champagne bubbles, but blocks the pain signals from being sent to the brain.”

The Illumina 3D Software is an advance in the SCS technology with programming based on advanced anatomical and scientific principles. This technology uses 32 contacts and four lead ports to give physicians more flexibility in customizing therapy for patients, opposed to the usual only 16 contacts and two lead ports. With more plugs there is more variety in where the electric pulses can be sent providing a greater area to reduce the pain.

Dick Holt, is living proof that this SCS, Precision Spectra Spinal Cord Stimulator, helps and actually works. He was a former Navy Seal and Army Operations Manager who suffered from chronic back pain. Once Boston Scientific was introduced to his life, his life was changed.

Holt said, “it was difficult to walk…growing up I played every sport, played football in college, then jumped out of airplanes” where he eventually broke his back leading to his chronic back pain.

26 million people in America suffer from chronic back pain, as he does. According to the National Institute of Health, the annual economic cost of pain is $100 billion. Many sufferers of chronic pain feel like they have little control over the pain. Once preoccupied with pain, life is hard to survive.

The best part about the Precision Spectra Spinal Cord System is that it takes out the drugs that were used to treat chronic pain. There is no more Tylenol, ibuprofen, epidurals, and morphine.

“The SCS device is considered conservative” by Dr. Frey, “because it avoids all the drugs and all the drama.”

Spinal Cord Stimulators have been around for the past seven years, but Boston Scientific put millions of dollars into more research to develop an even better device. It helps prevent pain that cannot be stopped on its own.

The device is made right here in the Santa Clarita Valley, no shipping from overseas.

The device is implantable, but can be reversed by either being surgically removed or turned off. A test trial is offered to know if SCS will cure chronic pain on specific patients. The test trial is like sticking a Band-Aid on, when used full-time it is inserted into the lower back.

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The patient is able to adjust the device with a cordless remote control and if there is pain they can target the pain to feel better. Holt claimed to wake up to pain in his foot and adjusted the settings on the device to make the pain go away, so he could sleep again.

He was on 260 milligrams of morphine a day. After the device was inserted, Holt was able to take only 45 milligrams of morphine and claimed, “that’s the kind of difference Boston Scientific makes.”

Boston Scientific’s Precision Spectra Spinal Cord Stimulating System has been life changing to those who use the system and have regained control in their lives.