Intercept Epilepsy Control System

[Bernard]

I saw HowdyDave refence this in another forum:

Medtronic, Inc. is sponsoring an investigational study of the Intercept™ Epilepsy Control System, the company's direct brain stimulation therapy for patients with refractory epilepsy.

Intercept™ Epilepsy Control System

Looks kinda like the VNS Therapy system:

[Elisa]

It is a lot like a VNS, but the difference is the leeds go right to the brain, and not a nerve that goes to the brain.

[Bernard]

It kind of makes you wonder just how far away we are from the wireheads envisioned by Larry Niven in his book, The Ringworld Engineers:

It wasn't just the happy smile that fooled them. It was the fist-sized droud that protruded like a black plastic canker from the crown of Louis Wu's head. They were dealing with a current addict, and they knew what to expect. For years the man must have had no thought but for the wire trickling current into the pleasure center of his brain. He would be near starvation from self-neglect.

[Bernard]

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT - News), today announced that it has entered into a patent cross-licensing agreement with NeuroPace, Inc., a privately held medical device company specializing in the detection, treatment and monitoring of epilepsy and other neurological disorders via responsive brain stimulation. Under the terms of the royalty-bearing, non-exclusive agreement, the two companies cross-licensed patents and patent applications of neurological technology related to direct electrical stimulation or monitoring of the brain. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

...

Medtronic currently is conducting a pivotal clinical trial in the United States for the Intercept(TM) Epilepsy Control System, the company's brain stimulation therapy that may reduce seizure rates in patients with epilepsy. NeuroPace also is sponsoring an investigational study with its Responsive Neurostimulator (RNS(TM)) system. ...

Medtronic and NeuroPace Cross License Patents for Treating Neurological Disorders

[Birdbomb]

Whoaaa--oooo take the money and run.....

Looks like CYBX is gonna take it in the anus on this one. The surgery may be more invasive, deep brain and all, but the criteria of acceptance FOR this treatment will be better defined. Not like the wonderful Holy Grail salemens, we have come to know and love.

IMO this is the devise that will be the undoing of CYBX. For a whole lotta reasons.

[Bernard]

Looks like Medtronic is working on a less invasive device:

Engineers from Medtronic disclosed a novel amplifier that is a key component in an implantable "brain radio" the company is developing to monitor and control nervous disorders. Overcoming noise generated from today's standard semiconductor processes was one of the biggest hurdles, according to a paper presented at the International Solid State Circuits Conference here Tuesday (Feb. 13).

Medtronic discloses component for "brain radio"

[Lisa-Marie]

It's nice to see that things such as this new device are being worked on out there in the medical field. I have a friend in Boston whose son just had the NeuroPace device implanted back in August 2006 and he is doing wonderful. Funny how things have changed since I had my brain surgery done over 12 years ago. That was the only choice I had back then. Just look at what choices are out there today...VNS, Gamma Knife, and the NeuroPace device, along with about 4 or 5 new medications that are available.

So much has changed since my surgery. Patients are spending little or no time in ICU and are being sent home far faster than I was. I spent almost three days in ICU and then another 5 days in a regular room. I came home just two days before Christmas.

I'm almost scared to think what kind of devices or procedures they will come up with in the next decade.

[Birdbomb]

What would be ideal is a cure for epilepsy instead of just treating the symptoms.

All these devises come as just a temporary fix. No one knows the long term effects on the body and some of the side effects are just horrible. But some people have had great successes with them too.

[brain]

I've been reading up about Neuropace, and seems to be
quite "pushy" around all over the 'net world, stating they're
better than VNS, and some of them are "brassy" to even
to publish all the lawsuits and problems that VNS has/had,
even where you can't "turn it on or turn it off" ...

And some of them are getting pretty bold in their advertising
where they're comparing VNS -vs- Neuropace ....

I can't see how - because they're 2 absolutely different things.

TO ME PERSONALLY:

It's like comparing a garbage disposal system and a built-in
dishwasher in your kitchen sink!

HONEST!


OK OK BIRDBOMB --- you can stop cracking up!
(I sure hope she had depends on!)

[Birdbomb]

I like your analogy, bet I can guess which one is the garbage disposal. LOL!