Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced the upcoming launch of NeuroSphere™ myPath™, a digital health app designed to track and report on patient perceived pain relief and general well-being associated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) or dorsal root ganglion (DRG) therapy. During the device trial period required before the permanent implant, the app allows patients to record their outcomes on pain and well-being while trialing their neurostimulation therapy.
Abbott's NeuroSphere myPath is a digital innovation that will provide relief to the millions of Americans currently living with chronic pain that are eligible for SCS or DRG therapy. This new digital health app will allow patients to use their Apple mobile device to connect with Abbott support, access educational resources and track the progress of their trial pain relief journey.
"The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the need for digital and remote health tools," said Keith Boettiger, vice president, Neuromodulation, Abbott. "The launch of the NeuroSphere myPath is one more example of how Abbott has been leading the way in providing remote ways to connect doctors and patients. Patients will be able to see information on their phone that would typically only be accessible in a doctor's office - helping patients to share their journey with their doctors."
Prior to committing to full implantation of a neuromodulation device, patients undergo a trial period to test device capabilities and capacity for pain relief. During the trial, temporary leads are placed and connected to an external generator, allowing patients to experience firsthand the impact of neuromodulation on their chronic pain and related symptoms.
"The current digital healthcare landscape has revolutionized our ability to provide direct care for patients whenever they need," said Shachi Patel, M.D., interventional pain management physician and owner of Delmarva Pain and Spine Center in Newark, Del. "By providing patients with a more seamless, easier way to record their progress during the trial period, Abbott's NeuroSphere myPath app will enable an enhanced communication experience while providing patients with further insight on their overall outcomes and response to neuromodulation."
NeuroSphere myPath is the latest innovation that fits within the company's broader NeuroSphere Digital Care connected health management platform. NeuroSphere myPath will be compatible with Abbott's Proclaim™ XR SCS System for patients living with chronic pain in the trunk and limbs, and Proclaim™ DRG Neurostimulation System for patients with chronic pain in the lower limbs caused by complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia.
"As clinicians, we are constantly in search of more intuitive tools and easy-to-use applications that enable us to provide better care for our patients living with chronic pain – particularly when trialing a new treatment," said Pankaj Mehta, M.D., medical director, chief medical officer and director of research at Pain Specialists in Austin, Texas. "Assessing a patient's response to a new stimulation therapy is essential to determining a therapeutic course-of-action. With Abbott's NeuroSphere myPath app, I will have the ability to assess the information patients have been recording and provide a comprehensive assessment on how they are responding to the therapy."
The NeuroSphere myPath will be available on the Apple App Store in the coming weeks and is expected to be available on Android devices in Q2 2021.
About Abbott's Chronic Pain Portfolio
Chronic pain can negatively impact personal relationships, work productivity and a person's daily routine. Abbott is a global leader in the development of chronic pain therapy solutions, offering radiofrequency therapy and spinal cord stimulation therapy solutions, including radiofrequency ablation generators and accessories, BurstDR™ stimulation, and dorsal root ganglion stimulation in the portfolio of chronic pain treatments.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 107,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.