High Frequency Stimulation System Provides Pain Relief

The system delivers high frequency (HF) electrical pulses to the spinal cord to alleviate pain. The electrical pulses, termed HF10 therapy, are delivered by a 16-contact electrode system placed near the spinal cord. The electrodes are connected to a compact, battery-powered generator implanted under the skin, and the system is operated using a remote control.

HF10 therapy is delivered to the spinal cord at a rate up to 10 kHz (10,000 pulses per second), compared to traditional SCS which utilizes low frequency stimulation, typically between 40 Hz and 60 Hz. HF10 therapy also differs from traditional SCS in that it provides back and leg pain relief without paresthesia, the constant tingling sensation that is the basis of traditional SCS therapy. The Senza system utilizes a rechargeable battery and has at least a 10 year battery life. The Senza SCS system is a product of Nevro (Menlo Park, CA, USA), and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“HF10 therapy provides better pain relief and nearly twice the response rate of traditional SCS, representing a tangible advance in chronic pain management,” said Leonardo Kapural, MD, of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (Winston-Salem, NC, USA). “HF10 therapy will allow me to help more patients in my practice by addressing back pain in addition to leg pain. And, with HF10 therapy I can for the first time focus on providing pain relief to my patients instead of managing paresthesia, which is a paradigm shift for my pain practice.”

SCS 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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