Now Offering the NeuRX Diaphragm Pacing System for SCI!
05/14/2010 Carolinas Rehabilitation is proud to be among the top rehabilitation providers to offer the diaphragm pacing system!
The prevalence of spinal cord injury in the United States in 2008 was estimated to be approximately 259,000 persons, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC). There are approximately 12,000 new spinal cord injuries each year, most of which are caused by vehicular accidents or falls. The NSCISC also reports an estimated 3,700 individuals were living with high C1-C3 tetraplegia in 2006, with an additional 500 new cases per year. Many of these patients are dependent on a ventilator for respiratory support.
The NeuRX DPS, manufactured by Synapse Biomedical, Inc, is designed to decrease the patient's reliance on a ventilator, increase their day-to-day independence and maximize the patient's freedom. Unlike a mechanical ventilator, the NeuRx DPS provides a gentle electronic stimulation to the diaphragm, causing it to contract. The system stimulates the diaphragm to imitate more natural breathing. With this system, Synapse Biomedical reports that in a clinical trial, 96% of patients were able to breathe for at least 4 hours a day without the use of their mechanical ventilator.
Dr. William Scelza, director of the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Carolinas Rehabilitation notes that "the DPS will be an excellent option for those with tetraplegia who require a ventilator to have a greater degree of functional independence."
"We are excited to be able to offer this to our patients," reports William Bockenek, MD, Medical Director of Carolinas Rehabilitation, and principal investigator of this project.
In most cases, an overnight hospital stay is all that is needed to implant the device's four electrodes, two to each side of the patient's diaphragm. The electrodes are connected to an external stimulator that provides electrical stimulation to the diaphragm. A Carolinas Rehabilitation physician will oversee the implant process and it follow up in conjuction with a pulmonologist at Carolinas Medical Center.
Candidates for DPS are individuals over the age of 18 who have sustained a spinal cord injury, requiring the use of a mechanical ventilator to breathe. For more information and to see if you or your patient could benefit from this procedure, please call 704-355-3558 or 1877-REHAB51 (1-877-734-2251).
