Do Adaptors Shorten the Battery Life of Nonrechargeable Generators for Deep Brain Stimulation?
OBJECTIVE
Generators implanted for deep brain stimulation must be replaced after several years. If a Kinetra generator is replaced by the Activa-PC, an adaptor will be required to attach it to the original extension cables. On the basis of our clinical impression that the battery life of the Active-PC generator was shorter when an adaptor was used, we performed this retrospective study.


METHODS
We determined the battery lifetimes of deep brain stimulation generators that had been implanted in our department. The inclusion criterion was the initial implantation of a Kinetra generator that was later replaced by an Activa-PC with adaptor, which itself was subsequently also replaced. These patients were compared with an Activa-PC control group without an adaptor but identical with regard to number of battery exchanges, disease, and target.


RESULTS
There were 28 patients in the study group and 14 in the control group. Battery lifetime of the Activa-PC with adaptor (32.4 ± 7.7 months) was significantly shorter than that of the Kinetra (53.5 ± 15.7 months, P = 0.000006). The battery life of Activa-PC without an adaptor (35.3 ± 8.2 months) did not differ significantly from that of the Activa-PC with an adaptor (P = 0.333).


CONCLUSIONS
The battery lifetime in a replacement Activa-PC is shorter than that in the original Kinetra generator. Adaptors have no significant effect on battery life. Patients should be informed that the battery in their new generator must be checked more frequently than before.
['Helmers|Ann-Kristin|AK|', 'Birkenfeld|Falk|F|', 'Deuschl|Günther|G|', 'Paschen|Steffen|S|', 'Cohrs|Gesa|G|', 'Mehdorn|Hubertus Maximilian|HM|', 'Falk|Daniela|D|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation D011211:Electric Power Supplies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D010300:Parkinson Disease D012189:Retrospective Studies D013997:Time Factors
Adaptor Battery life Deep brain stimulation Kinetra Activa-PC IPG