FDA Clears Radio Frequency Nerve Tissue Ablation System for Treatment of Pain
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared a radiofrequency (RF) nerve ablation system (Accurian; Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) for the treatment of patients with chronic pain. Nerve ablation with RF is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radio waves to produce a current that heats nerve endings causing chronic pain. The system has independent channel management, advanced quad-core processing, and advanced software with fine control of temperature and power to create a lesion that consistent and predictable for precise ablation.
Lesions produced with this platform can be standard, pulsed, or enhanced and the system includes internally cooled probes for precise lesions that vary as needed in size, shape, and volume. Chip-enhanced proves provide on-screen identification and a number of procedural reports can be generated to assist with procedural efficiency and quality improvement.
"The Accurian RF ablation platform is a significant addition in my practice because I know I'll get the same lesion every time in every channel due to how responsive the generator is in managing power and temperature," said Leo Kapural, MD, PhD, a pain physician at Carolinas Pain Institute and Center for Clinical Research in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "RF ablation requires both precision and flexibility. Accurian is intuitive and easy to use and enables me to easily upgrade the system and perform enhanced lesions with cooled RF probes."
"Medtronic has a long-established track record of bringing to market improved options to support clinicians with state-of-the-art technology, like the Accurian RF ablation system, which was designed for consistency and efficiency," said Marshall Stanton, MD, senior vice president and president of Medtronic's Pain Therapies division, which is part of the Restorative Therapies Group. "Medtronic is committed to advancing the treatment of pain as we introduce new options to help patients throughout the care continuum."