Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Percept™ RC Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system. This rechargeable neurostimulator, part of the Percept™ family, is designed for patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and epilepsy. The Percept™ system is the only sensing-enabled DBS system available, allowing physicians to tailor treatment for individual patients.
The Percept™ RC neurostimulator is the smallest and thinnest dual-channel device for DBS, equipped with BrainSense™ technology. This feature captures and records brain signals, providing valuable insights for healthcare providers to adapt and personalize therapy based on patients' changing needs. Unlike other rechargeable devices, the Percept™ RC battery offers at least 15 years of service life with consistent and rapid recharge performance. Medtronic's patented battery technology ensures less battery fade than other rechargeable devices, allowing for a more reliable and durable battery. Patients can experience fast recharging, from 10% to 90% full charge in less than an hour.
Dr. Casey H. Halpern, a neurosurgeon and deep brain stimulation expert, highlights the potential for personalized therapy in the future, thanks to the sensing capability of the Percept™ system. Approximately 70 percent of DBS-eligible patients may require an MRI as part of their essential care, and Medtronic was the first to offer full-body MR Conditional DBS systems in the U.S., allowing safe scans anywhere on the body under specific conditions. The Percept™ system provides greater freedom and scan access for patients with 3T scans and is the only DBS system that allows patients to have stimulation on in bipolar mode during an MRI.
Furthermore, the Percept™ neurostimulators are engineered to accommodate future software updates for the Percept™ platform without the need for device exchange. This feature, coupled with the ability to capture data even outside the clinic, offers healthcare professionals valuable insights into patients' symptoms and responses to DBS and medications.
