Boston Scientific has presented results of two studies evaluating the Infinion 16 Percutaneous Lead, the world’s first and only 16-contact percutaneous lead for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy, and the Clik Anchor, an innovative locking system designed to secure and reduce unwanted migration of SCS leads. The research was presented at the International Spine Intervention Society (ISIS) 20th Annual Scientific Meeting (Las Vegas, USA, 17–21 July 2012).
Results from the Infinion 16 study demonstrated that this innovative lead, used in conjunction with the Precision Plus SCS System, delivered significant pain relief in patients with chronic pain. The Clik Anchor study, awarded Best Poster at the ISIS meeting, showed that this novel fixation device reduced lead migration, the most common complication associated with SCS therapy.
“Chronic pain affects the daily lives of more than 100 million Americans each year, and tens of thousands of patients with chronic pain have found that SCS systems help them manage their pain,” said Maulik Nanavaty, senior vice president and president of the Neuromodulation Division at Boston Scientific.
Initial spinal cord stimulation trial outcomes with the Infinion 16 Lead
An analysis of 25 chronic pain patients who underwent an SCS trial showed that the Infinion 16 Lead delivered significant pain relief outcomes for those patients, including reduced pain intensity (p<0.0001) and improved pain relief (p<0.0001).
“The Infinion 16 is the only lead that provides 16 contacts that can be inserted through a single, small needle with just one lead placement,” said Timothy Chafin, pain management specialist at Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in North Carolina and lead author of the study. “Added coverage of the spinal cord provides me with more options to manage my patients’ chronic pain.”
Additionally, 88% of patients temporarily implanted with the Infinion 16 Lead met the criteria for permanent SCS implantation with the Precision Plus SCS System.
Reducing lead migration with the Clik Anchor: A real-world review
Named Best Poster of ISIS 2012, an analysis of data from the Boston Scientific internal patient database, which included a cohort of more than 6,000 patients implanted with the Precision Plus SCS System, showed that the Clik Anchor reduced rates of lead revision due to lead migration by more than 40% when compared to the population of patients not implanted with the Clik Anchor.
“Lead migration is the most common complication of spinal cord stimulation and may lead to additional surgery to revise lead placement,” said Stephen Pyles, Florida Pain Clinic in Ocala, Florida. “In my clinical experience, the Clik Anchor reduces the potential for additional surgical procedures.”
About the Clik Anchor
Lead migration is the most common complication of SCS. The Clik Anchor was designed to improve lead anchoring speed and consistency through an innovative locking system. Locking into place on the lead with a simple turn of a hex wrench, the Clik Anchor provides tactile and audible confirmation for physicians that the lead is secured.
About the Infinion 16 Percutaneous Lead
Spinal cord stimulator leads are designed to deliver electrical pulses from an implantable pulse generator to the spinal cord to mask pain signals to the brain. Until the Infinion 16 Percutaneous Lead, percutaneous leads offered a maximum of eight stimulating contacts. By providing twice the number of contacts as any previous percutaneous lead, the Infinion 16 Percutaneous Lead is designed to offer more coverage of the spinal cord for the management of chronic pain.
