Medtronic Begins Enrolling Patients for Spinal Cord Stimulation Study

Medtronic announced last week that the company has started to enroll patients for a study that will assess the long-term efficacy of the Medtronic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) implant. A primary goal of the study is to gain more understanding of Medtronic’s EvolveSM system, which allows physicians to balance high-dose and low-dose stimulation settings to help optimize treatment.

The company hopes to enroll 175 patients with chronic intractable pain of the low back and legs who have the SCS implant for the study. The patients will be monitored for 12 months.

“Knowing how to best use non-opioid treatment options … is more important than ever, and this data may help us expand our ability to help people struggling with chronic intractable pain,” said John Hathaway, M.D., of Northwest Pain Care of Spokane, Wash., in a statement. ■