Questions about the Activa Therapy System:

Q-11: What are the parts that make up an Activa Therapy System?

A: The Activa Therapy System consists of three implantable components:

Lead: A thin, insulated coiled wire that is implanted in the brain and has four stimulating electrodes at the tip.

Extension: A thin, insulated coiled wire that connects the lead to the neurostimulator.  The extension is threaded under the skin from the head, down the neck and into the upper chest.

Neurostimulator: A small, sealed device similar to a cardiac pacemaker, which is implanted beneath the skin in the chest or, for younger primary dystonia patients, in the abdomen. The neurostimulator is powered by a battery and produces and controls the electrical pulses needed for stimulation. These electrical pulses are delivered through the extension and through the lead to the appropriate sites in the brain.

Q-12: How does the Activa Therapy System work?

A: The neurostimulator generates electrical pulses that are delivered by the extension and lead to targeted structures within the brain. Physician researchers believe that the electrical pulses may block brain signals that cause symptoms of Parkinson's disease, Essential Tremor and primary dystonia. The electrical pulses are adjusted by a clinician using a physician programmer and transmitted via radio telemetry to the implanted neurostimulator.

A patient may turn the Activa Therapy System on and off with a small, hand-held magnet. The magnet is held against the chest over the area where the neurostimulator is implanted, typically beneath the collarbone, for one or two seconds to change the operation of the system between ON and OFF.

Some patients use a hand-held controller that indicates the battery status as well as indicating and changing the Activa Therapy System’s ON/OFF status.

Q-13: Will any parts of the system show?

A: All Activa Therapy System components, with the exception of the hand-held magnet and controller, are inside the body. Depending on a person's body build, the neurostimulators may be noticeable as small bulges under the skin, but they usually are not noticeable under clothing. A doctor will try to implant the neurostimulators where they will be the most comfortable and unobtrusive. There also may be two slight bumps at the top of the patient's head, but they usually are not visible under hair.

Q-14: What does stimulation feel like?

A: Most people who use Activa Therapy do not feel the stimulation itself, but the effects of stimulation when it reduces some of their symptoms. However, some people may feel a brief tingling sensation when the therapy is first turned on.

Q-15: Does the Activa Therapy System make any noise?

A: No.

Q-16: How long does the neurostimulator battery last?

A: Battery longevity varies, depending on the parameter settings and number of hours the neurostimulator is turned on each day. At typical therapeutic settings, the battery lasts an average of three to five years, but it could be less than three years depending on individual patient requirements. For example, in primary dystonia patients, the battery may last as few as 1.5 years or as long as 7 years. A simple surgical procedure is used to replace the neurostimulator. The extension and lead are typically not replaced.

Q-17: Can the battery be recharged?

A: No. When the neurostimulator battery needs to be changed, the old neurostimulator is replaced by an entirely new neurostimulator. In many cases, the replacement procedure can be done under local anesthesia in an outpatient clinic.

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