This is a feasibility study based on physician-initiated Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) including intraoperative experiments and chronic testing of implanted dual thalamic DBS lead systems. This study will inform protocols for optimal use of implanted next-gen DBS systems for primarily tremor control in refractory essential tremor.If the approach appears to be successful, the pilot data generated will be used to base a future pivotal trial for FDA approval for enhanced tremor control and adaptive DBS (aDBS) functionality of DBS systems.
Ventralis intermedius nucleus of the thalamus (VIM) Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a highly effective treatment for essential tremor, which is an incurable, degenerative brain disorder that results in progressively debilitating tremor, afflicting an estimated 7 million people in the US (2.2% of the population). Clinical observation shows, however, that disease progression results in eventual recurrence of debilitating tremor in 10 to 20% of VIM DBS patients. DBS revision surgery, with replacement of sub-optimally positioned VIM DBS leads and addition of an ipsilateral ventralis oralis (VO) DBS lead, has emerged as an effective rescue strategy for many such patients with delayed failure of VIM DBS therapy. Since essential tremors are typically not continuous, tremor suppressing DBS therapy need not necessarily be delivered continuously and could theoretically be effective if delivered only when movement intent or tremor is present. Our central hypothesis is that a VIM+VO DBS system capable of detecting the neurophysiologic markers of essential tremor (ET) associated with goal directed movements, and providing responsive dual lead thalamic stimulation in a targeted and personalized manner, would provide improved suppression of severe tremor, reduce adverse effects associated with continuous stimulation, and prolong the battery life of the implantable neurostimulator (INS), decreasing the frequency of surgical procedures necessary to replace devices with depleted batteries.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DEVICE_FEASIBILITY
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
10
Dual channel closed-loop pulse generator with connection to both new DBS leads for deep stimulation of VIM vs VO
Implantation of two new ipsilateral thalamic (VIM+VO) DBS
Single Lead VIM
second lead in the ipsilateral VO
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, United States
RECRUITINGEfficacy Assessment - Tremor
Tremor rating scale This 5-point scale rates tremor severity based on tremor amplitude, from 0 (no tremor) to 4 (severe tremor) in each part of the body, and includes assessments of specific abilities and functional disability.
Time frame: Up to 24 months
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