Saluda Medical ™
Intro / Problem Statement
Living with chronic pain is more than lingering discomfort; it can reshape every part of life. When pain persists for months despite medications, injections, physical therapy, or surgery, it often disrupts sleep, limits mobility, affects work and relationships, and takes a toll on emotional well‑being. Many patients find themselves cycling through treatments that provide only temporary relief, managing side effects, and withdrawing from normal activities, which can contribute to anxiety or depression.
One challenge is that chronic pain can alter how the nervous system processes signals, amplifying pain sensations and reducing overall function and quality of life. Traditional treatments that target symptoms often fall short for people with long‑standing, severe pain. That’s where neuromodulation therapies like Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) which address how pain signals are transmitted in the nervous system can offer a more targeted and potentially lasting solution.
How It Works / Trial
Solution
What Is SCS?
Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) uses thin electrodes placed near the spinal cord (in the epidural space) connected to an implanted pulse generator. The system sends controlled electrical pulses that interact with nerve pathways to help reduce the perception of pain and improve functional ability.
Saluda Medical’s Evoke® System
Saluda Medical’s Evoke® SCS System is a closed‑loop spinal cord stimulation therapy designed to dynamically adjust stimulation based on the spinal cord’s real‑time response. Unlike traditional SCS systems that deliver fixed stimulation, Evoke measures the spinal cord’s activity using evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) and automatically adjusts therapy more than 4 million times per day to remain within each patient’s optimal therapeutic window. This innovative design supports consistently optimized pain control with fewer manual adjustments
Trial and Evaluation Phase
The SCS journey usually begins with a trial period in which a temporary lead and external stimulator are used to assess how well the therapy provides pain relief and improves function. During this time, patients track pain levels, activity, sleep, and medication use to help determine whether SCS should be permanently implanted. Meaningful improvement — often measured as a significant reduction in pain — helps guide the decision to proceed with the permanent system.
How SCS Works: The Science Behind Relief
Pain is meant to signal danger, but chronic pain occurs when those signals persist long after healing. SCS works with the nervous system rather than masking pain with medication.
A small device, placed under the skin like a pacemaker, delivers mild electrical pulses to the spinal cord, interrupting pain signals before they reach the brain. Patients often describe the sensation as a gentle whisper replacing the scream of chronic pain.
Abbott’s BurstDR™ stimulation takes it further, mimicking the brain’s natural patterns to reduce both physical pain and the emotional burden of chronic pain. SCS addresses pain as a whole—body, mind, and spirit—allowing patients to move, rest, and live more freely.
What Is Different About Saluda Medical’s Evoke® System?
The Evoke® System stands apart because of its SmartLoop® closed‑loop technology, which continuously measures the spinal cord’s physiological response (via ECAPs) and adjusts stimulation instantly to maintain consistent therapy. This approach is designed to provide more reliable and personalized pain relief than traditional open‑loop systems, which cannot adapt to changes in physiology or posture.
Key advantages of Evoke include:
Real‑time adaptive stimulation: Automatically adjusts therapeutic output to maintain consistent neural activation and pain control.
Clinically supported outcomes: Long‑term data show that many patients achieve significant and durable pain relief, with high rates of responders and sustained improvement over time.
Opioid reduction: A large majority of patients in long‑term follow‑up reduced or eliminated opioid use.
Fewer reprogramming visits: Clinical evidence suggests fewer programming adjustments may be needed over time due to consistent therapy delivery.
Patient Testimonial
Who Can Benefit
The Evoke® SCS System may be suitable for patients who:
- Experience chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs that persists despite medications or prior interventions.
- Have conditions such as failed back surgery syndrome, intractable low back pain, or leg pain.
Are motivated to improve function, reduce reliance on pain medications, enhance mobility and sleep, and regain quality of life.
Patient Testimonial
Benefits of SCS (Evoke® System)
- Reliable pain relief: Many patients experience significant reductions in chronic pain sustained over time.
- Improved function: Enhanced mobility, better sleep, and increased participation in meaningful daily activities.
- Improved quality of life: Data show meaningful improvements in physical and emotional functioning.
Opioid‑sparing: A high proportion of patients reduce or stop opioid use following therapy.
Post‑Implant Phase
- Regular follow‑up appointments help optimize stimulation and monitor outcomes.
- Patients gradually resume daily activities with ongoing clinical support.
Rehabilitation and lifestyle strategies support improved function and quality of life.
SCS Implant
SCS Journey
Trial Phase
- Consultation with a pain specialist to review pain history and prior treatments.
- Temporary lead and external stimulator assess therapy effectiveness.
- Patients log pain intensity, function, sleep quality, and medication use.
Implantation
- If the trial shows meaningful benefit, a permanent SCS system is implanted.
- The Evoke® System is programmed to each patient’s needs, and closed‑loop monitoring begins.
- Patients receive education on device use, activity guidelines, and follow‑up expectations.
Resources
Digital Print Asset – Patient Brochure
Educational materials include:
- Overview of chronic pain and neuromodulation
- Explanation of the Evoke® System and how it works
- Trial versus implant expectations
- Device care and safety consideration
- Real‑world outcomes and patient stories
- Questions to ask your clinician
Start Your Journey
Chronic pain doesn’t have to define your life. Abbott’s advanced SCS therapy provides a guided, personal path toward movement, freedom, and everyday moments that matter. Take the first step and rediscover life beyond pain.