Medtronic and St. Jude Medical have been developing competing neurostimulation systems, according to a report by Mass Device.
Medtronic's PNS device, which recently gained CE Mark approval, uses percutaneous leads to send electrical pulses to the peripheral nerves within subcutaneous tissue in the lower back, using the company's implantable neurostimulation systems.
St. Jude's Epiducer system, which received CE Mark approval last year, allows insertion of multiple neurostimulation leads through just one entry point. Epiducer is part of the company's neuromodulation portfolio, which St. Jude reports has the world's smallest rechargeable spinal cord stimulator.
In addition, Boston Scientific is growing its pain management division after a $78 million buyout of Intelect Medical, developer of the Guide deep-brain stimulation programming system. In March, the company also won FDA clearance on lead anchors for its partially implantable Precision Plus PNS device.
Read the Mass Device report on neurostimulation systems.
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