Spinal Cord Stimulation System Improves Pain Management

Novel tonic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system offers additional burst technology for improved stimulation options.

The Prodigy Chronic Pain System with Burst Technology is the first implantable neuromodulation system that delivers burst capability, a technology that offers intermittent bursts of stimulation that are designed to provide an alternative therapy method for chronic conditions such as back pain. Burst stimulation has been demonstrated to minimize paresthesia in some patients, which can often fluctuate with posture and body position changes. By enabling the delivery of two different modes of stimulation, clinicians can improve patient satisfaction by effectively adjusting therapy to address the patient’s unique pain condition.


Other features of the Prodigy system include a long-lasting rechargeable battery life, even at the highest settings. In addition, its small size allows for a smaller incision, which gives physicians increased flexibility in selecting the implant location and is intended to make the site less visible and more comfortable for patients. The Prodigy Chronic Pain System with Burst Technology is a product of St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, MN, USA), and has received the European Community CE marking of approval.

“The Prodigy system is a great example of our approach for innovative and alternative ways to provide relief to patients suffering from chronic pain, including those who have exhausted other treatment options or who may have lost effective therapy using traditional tonic stimulation,” said Eric Fain, MD, group president of St. Jude Medical. “In addition to our recent investment in Spinal Modulation, the Prodigy neurostimulator showcases our continued commitment to expanding the neuromodulation program for St. Jude Medical and focusing on improved outcomes for patients.”

“Burst Technology expands treatment options for patients suffering from chronic pain and provides significant relief so they can reclaim their quality of life,” said professor of neurosurgery Dirk De Ridder, MD, of the University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand). “Prodigy’s pioneering stimulation mode allows me to tune therapy to my patient’s unique pain condition. Burst holds promise to fill the void where alternative stimulation modes fail to control patients’ pain or for those who lose therapeutic benefit over time.”

SCS therapy uses an implanted device (similar to a cardiac pacemaker), and electrodes to deliver low levels of electrical energy to nerve fibers. These electrical pulses mask or interrupt pain signals as they travel to the brain, reducing painful sensations. Traditional SCS uses equally spaced electrical pulses to replace pain with a tingling sensation called paresthesia. For some patients, the stimulation sensation can fluctuate and paresthesia may become uncomfortable. For others, traditional stimulation does not effectively relieve their pain.

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