What Is the NeuRx® Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS)?
The NeuRx DPS® is a groundbreaking neurostimulation implant technology approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and ALS patients. With no moving parts, noiseless operation, and its small size, the state-of-the-art NeuRx DPS® is engineered to help you breathe naturally and live more comfortably.
The NeuRx DPS® technology consists of several components that, together, provide comfortable diaphragm stimulation for patients.
PermaLoc® Electrodes
Innovative Diaphragm Stimulation Technology
The first major component of the NeuRx DPS® technology is PermaLoc® Electrodes. These electrodes are designed using 316 stainless steel and other biocompatible materials with a long history of implantation. Their design has been developed with anchoring technology specifically for long-term implantation into the diaphragm.
Using a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgical procedure, four PermaLoc® Electrodes are implanted in the diaphragm to provide direct stimulation. A fifth electrode is implanted under the skin, which grounds the system and completes the circuit. After the electrodes are implanted, they are tunneled through the abdomen, attached to an interface, which functions as an electrode connector that groups the five electrodes exiting the skin into a socket. This allows them to be connected to a cable that allows the small battery-powered external pulse generator (EPG) to cause the diaphragm to contract.
NeuRx® External Pulse Generator (EPG)
Comfortable, Noiseless Diaphragm Conditioning Stimulation
A second major component of NeuRx DPS® technology is the NeuRx® EPG, a stimulator box that sends electrical signals to the diaphragm. The signals cause the diaphragm to contract, which conditions and exercises it. The EPG settings are adjusted by your doctor to provide comfortable conditioning stimulation. You or your caregiver may control the NeuRx® EPG by turning it on and off. No other controls are available or necessary. Because the EPG is noiseless and small in size, it can be easily concealed.
The NeuRx® Clinical Station
Supporting Diaphragm Pacing Technology
The NeuRx® Clinical Station, which refers to the control device, is used in three distinct ways to support diaphragm pacing:
- During the surgical procedure, it is used to stimulate the diaphragm in order to find the best location to implant the electrodes.
- It is used by your doctor to optimize the NeuRx® EPG settings for comfort and effect.
- It is used by your healthcare provider helping you with your NeuRx DPS, to program the desired settings into the EPG.
Use of the NeuRx DPS®
Statements of Intended Use for Patients
We have prepared statements of intended use, warnings, precautions, side effects, and contradictions for patients with SCI or ALS.