Medtronic drug pump ‘significantly benefits stroke patients’

A new drug pump developed by Medtronic for the treatment of patients who suffered strokes has been found to improve muscle tone and functional independence.

The results of study into the treatment of patients with spasticity, a condition which can limit movement due to stiffened muscles, found that patients who were given Medtronic ITB Therapysm by utilising the new SynchroMed Programmable Pump experienced improvements in their functional independence and “quality of life” over a course of 12 months.

Commenting on the new technology, Dr Cindy B Ivanhoe, author of the study and medical director for Mentis Neurorehabilitation in Houston, claims that the ITB treatment can “effectively” manage spasticity in stroke patients.

“With spasticity under control, many stroke survivors make better progress with their overall recovery and rehabilitation,” she remarks.

The survey supported by Medtronic involving 24 stroke treatment centres in the US, evaluated the spasticity, function and quality of life in stroke patients to enable the company to analyse the efficacy of ITB Therapy.

The firm found that after the 12 month trial, upper limb spasticity had decreased by 31 per cent on average, while lower limb spasticity fell by 42 per cent.

According to the Stroke Association in the UK, over 130,000 people suffer a stroke in each year and it is cited as the “single most common” cause of disability.