Twin Cities Pain Clinic Implants the Inceptiv™ Spinal Cord Stimulator
The story of Twin Cities Pain Clinic's pivotal role in developing one of the most advanced pain therapies in the world
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, Twin Cities Pain Clinic became the first healthcare group in the state of Minnesota to implant the new Inceptiv™ spinal cord stimulator device by Medtronic. The procedure was performed by Dr. Andrew Will at Twin Cities Surgery Center in Edina, Minnesota.
The Inceptiv spinal cord stimulator
The Inceptiv™ is the latest offering in a growing lineup of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems offered by Medtronic. But even among a technology as advanced as SCS, the Inceptiv™ is in a league of its own, thanks to its closed-loop sensing feature.
Spinal cord stimulation uses small amounts of electricity to “stimulate” nerves. This masks pain signals, reducing the sensation of pain. During traditional stimulation therapy, certain everyday movements, such as laughing, bending, or sneezing, can cause brief moments of overstimulation. This can be uncomfortable and may cause the patient to change their stimulation settings, reducing the overall effectiveness of the therapy.
According to Medtronic, closed-loop SCS technology “senses biological signals along the spinal cord and automatically adjusts stimulation in real time, keeping therapy in harmony with the motions of daily life. Inceptiv SCS senses the body’s response to stimulation 50 times per second and instantly adjusts its settings to maintain the physician’s prescribed, patient-specific stimulation levels.” These miraculous capabilities offer the potential for patients to achieve better and more consistent pain relief compared to many other therapies.
Research to reality
Twin Cities Pain clinic is a longtime proponent of spinal cord stimulation and the promise it can offer pain patients. As a spinal cord stimulation center for excellence, our organization has partnered with Medtronic in introducing several SCS systems to the Minnesota market. But the introduction of the Inceptiv system is a moment of particular significance for us. The Twin Cities Pain Clinic research team started working with Medtronic on the research and development of the Inceptiv program in 2018, almost six years before its introduction.
During this time, our research team conducted numerous feasibility studies which featured over 100 Twin Cities Pain Clinic patient participants. To their credit, these patients had full knowledge that they themselves would not have access to this technology. But they elected to participate anyway in the interest of improving pain care for future patients. It is a touching testament to how intent many chronic pain patients are in helping others find relief.
Achievements in research
One of the aforementioned studies, titled Characterization of Different Energy Profiles of Differential Target Multiplexed™ Spinal Cord Stimulation, won a President’s Choice Award at the 2021 American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine’s Annual Meeting.
Additionally, three other studies were published in professional medical journals. Additional information is available at the below links:
- The Evoked Compound Action Potential as a Predictor in Chronic Pain Patients
- Clinic Feasibility Study of Spinal Evoked Action Potential Estimation Methods
- A New Direction for Closed Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation
Commitment to innovation
Now, after all these years of hard work and painstaking research, the Twin Cities Pain Clinic team could not have been more proud to implant the first Inceptiv device in Minnesota.
Today, Twin Cities Pain Clinic continues performing research in partnership with Medtronic, both to evaluate the Inceptiv and develop additional, innovative technologies for treating chronic pain. Innovation is one of our core values and the development of the Inceptiv system is a shining example of our commitment to advancing the frontiers of pain medicine to provide all with the hope of life with less pain.
