Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is currently being treated with Proclaim XR. The future might be much brighter.
We’ve all been captivated by connecting the dots, whether we spent our childhood drawing lines between successive numbers or watching a movie about a genius putting together a difficult puzzle.
At Abbott, we satisfy this natural need by looking at individuals holistically and developing methods to integrate cutting-edge technology to help those who need it the most.
For example, we know a lot about these difficulties and how to cooperate across disciplines to develop answers thanks to our glucose monitoring devices and chronic pain treatment advances.
That is why we are thrilled to report that our ProclaimTM XR spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system has been approved by the FDA to treat painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a critical consequence of diabetes.
It’s a good thing you’re not experienced with painful DPN. That indicates you haven’t had the opportunity to do so.
“DPN is a devastating consequence of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes,” said Nauni Virdi, M.D., Abbott Diabetes Care’s regional medical director for the United States and Canada. “It is a degenerative condition that can cause significant discomfort in the limbs, particularly the fingers and toes, and can lead to more serious consequences. As a result, it is critical to decelerate the process as much as feasible.”
DPN may be a seemingly two-pronged condition, with the first manifestation being an inability to accurately differentiate textures, which often leads to a loss of feeling in the distal extremities, preventing the patient from recognizing harmful external stimuli.
Painful DPN, on the other hand, can generate “pins and needles,” burning, or other pain with little to no accompanying touch while disguising discomfort from external causes.
Until date, therapies have been pharmaceutical in nature.
But, it is limited.
“There are several medications that can help reduce the discomfort associated with DPN, all of which were meant to address different medical concerns,” Virdi explained. “They can be useful, but their capabilities are restricted. Each has its own set of side effects, some of which can be significant over time.”
The Proclaim system, on the other hand, provides a non-opioid approach to pain treatment, giving DPN alleviation by electrical stimulation delivered via an outpatient device put along the spinal cord.
Following a successful minimally invasive trial, the Proclaim XR device is implanted, and consumers may control their therapy via an Apple smartphone configured with our NeuroSphereTM Virtual Clinic. Patients can interact with their doctor via the integrated Apple device.
The increased use of neuromodulation for pain management, as well as the development of associated technologies such as Virtual Clinic, has opened up a new universe of possibilities for Abbott scientists to investigate.
Technology that Goes Above and Beyond
Future partnerships with Abbott Diabetes Care may be aimed to look beyond pain and patient-reported results to bring in a more complete strategy to addressing DPN discomfort.
The companies will continue to explore solutions that bridge the gap between severe disease and life-changing therapy.
Erin Balsa is a highly skilled and knowledgeable health journalist with a passion for educating the public on important health and wellness topics. With extensive experience in both traditional and digital media, Erin has established herself as a trusted voice in the field.