Siena, 6 June 2024 – For the first time in Tuscany, at the Senese university hospital, an innovative neurostimulator was implanted on a patient, an impulse generator for a sacral neuromodulation system. The operation was carried out by the Analgesic Therapy department of the Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital, relating to Perioperative and General Anesthesia and Resuscitation, directed by Dr. Pasquale D’Onofrio.
It is a device that treats, in particular, chronic pelvic and perineal pain and neurological bladder conditions. The implant was carried out by doctors Agnese Faltoni and Elena Fatighenti, and by doctors Marco Mautone and Francesco Palilla of the Antalgic Therapy service, which has grown significantly in recent years using cutting-edge techniques and methods.
“The first neurostimulator implant – declares Dr. D’Onofrio – was carried out two years ago by the same team on the same patient suffering from chronic and disabling pelvic pain with a satisfactory result. Now we have installed a new and more innovative one, the first of its kind in Tuscany. This system has a pacemaker which is inserted under the skin and serves to deliver impulses, which propagate to an electrocatheter implanted through a foramen in the sacrum. The sacral neurostimulator implant surgery is usually carried out under local anesthesia. The pulse generator generally lasts about two years and therefore needs to be replaced quite frequently.”
“Technological innovation – continues D’Onofrio – has led to the development of a longer-lasting generator, approximately 10 years, which it was possible to implant in the patient so as to allow replacements much further apart over time and consequently reduce the discomfort of re-operations and hospital admissions to which he must necessarily undergo”.
“Cutting-edge technology at the service of those suffering from chronic pain – concludes Dr. Pasquale D’Onofrio – is an important contribution to improving the quality of life of these patients. A special thank you goes to our pharmacists who always follow us with great care.”
