Rechargeable EON system offer hope for chronic pain sufferers

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) People suffering from chronic back pain, on whom all modalities of treatment including several surgeries have failed, may now get relief from the implantation of a new sophisticated Spinal Cord Stimulator with Rechargeable EON System.

Fifty-three-year-old Somnath Hans, a Railway Office Superintendent, who was bed-ridden due to severe back pain, can now walk again after the implantation of the device done through a local anesthetic technique, at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital here.

Hans, who had earlier undergone surgery after suffering pain for many years, again developed severe back aches with numbness in the legs for which no explanation was found in the MRI. Due to this, he was bed-ridden.

''I tried all kinds of physiotherapy, painkillers, and even epidural injections and nerve blocks, and really we were reaching the end of the road as far as treatment options were concered,'' said Dr Rajendra Prasad, Senior Consultant, Neurosurgeon at the hospital.

However, after discussion with Pain Specialist Dr K J Choudhary, Dr Prasad said, they tried the new device on Mr Hans, which has two components, one implanted within the body and another acting like a remote.

The device, which has been internally implanted for the first time in South Asia, is flexible as it could be activated whenever there is pain, giving immediate relief, he informed.

Following the implantation of the new device, Hans can now hope to lead a normal life and go to office. Whenever the batteries die out, they can be recharged by an external remote control, he said.

''For people in whom pain is not manageable even after surgery, can now hope to enjoy a normal life.'' The permanent implantation of the Spinal Cord System with a Rechargeable EON System could help people with chronic severe pain of various causes like intractable pelvic pain and even some cases of angina.

Dr Choudhary also explained that the procedure involved ''Neuromodulation'' a system of electrically altering the signal transmission (pain message) in the nervous system by the implanted devices.

This rechargeable system allows an external system to recharge the batteries without further surgery. It avoids the need for re-operation five years later to change the batteries.

Other implants like cardiac pacemakers have a limited battery life after which surgery to change the batteries have to be performed, he said.

UNI