The FDA approved the market's smallest implantable and rechargeable spinal cord stimulation system, designed by healthcare technology company Abbott.
The Eterna system has features including an iPhone app, an upgradable platform and the capability to conduct full-body MRI scans, according to a Dec. 19 news release from the company.
"[Abbott's low-dose stimulation] was not available on a rechargeable device that was this small and that only needs to be charged a few times a year," Timothy Deer, MD, president and CEO of the Spine and Nerve Centers of the Virginias in Charleston, W.Va., said in the release. "This makes a big difference in comfort for many patients who now can have access to the best of both worlds."