ORLANDO, Fla. (June 8, 2009) – Patients with Parkinson’s disease have new options to control the life-impacting movements they face on a continual basis. Today, Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) becomes among the first hospitals in the nation to implant the Activa® PC. The Activa PC and the Activa® RC, by Medtronic, are two deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices available for the treatment of the symptoms of movement disorders, including advanced Parkinson’s disease. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the devices deliver small electrical pulses to precisely targeted areas within one or both sides of the brain to help achieve greater control over disabling body movements. ORMC offers both options.
“Both the Activa RC and Activa PC neurostimulators mark significant progress for patients with movement disorders, helping improve their health and quality of life,” said Nizam Razack, MD, a neurosurgeon and chair of neurosurgery at ORMC. “This type of surgery also represents significant advancements as neurosurgery moves more towards bionic technology-enhancing anatomical structures with electronic components. Historically neurosurgery involved removing things from the body. Today we are able to implant devices like neurostimulators to send electrical signals in the brain to affect movement throughout the body, in essence telling the brain how to artificially do what it cannot naturally do.”
Both Activa RC and Activa PC can provide bi-lateral stimulation (to both sides of the brain) and have new programming options that give surgeons greater ability to fine tune stimulation. For patients, the devices’ hand-held programmer has new features, including an LCD screen that provides valuable information, including neurostimulator battery status. The programmer also allows patients to choose between pre-set clinician-configured stimulation parameters to customize their therapy to suit different lifestyle needs.
The Activa RC and Activa PC devices have unique features.
Activa PC, expected to become the most implanted DBS device, offers multiple benefits of greater patient control without regular maintenance by the patient, improved surgeon programming options and a smaller size. The Activa PC neurostimulator represents a 20 percent reduction in size and weight compared to previous bi-lateral, primary cell devices but with a similar two-to five-year battery life.
The Activa RC is the first and only rechargeable DBS neurostimulator in the world and lasts for nine years before replacement is necessary. Patients need to recharge the device at home on a regular basis depending on their stimulation settings. Activa RC, also significantly smaller than previous bi-lateral devices, is expected to be used for some patients with high-energy stimulation requirements.
“Activa RC and Activa PC expand our family of Medtronic DBS therapy devices to give patients and physicians the flexibility they need to customize a successful DBS treatment program to manage the debilitating symptoms of movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor,” said Richard E. Kuntz, M.D., senior vice president and president of the Neuromodulation business at Medtronic. “These devices also accentuate Medtronic’s place as the long-time pioneer and leader in neuromodulation technology, represented by the only commercially available DBS therapy system in the United States, 20 years of DBS experience, and an ongoing commitment to further pursuit of technology innovations to improve the lives of patients.”
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Orlando Health is Central Florida’s fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this everyday with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.