Medtronic plc has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Asleep Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery for people with Parkinson’s and people with essential tremor. Medtronic says it is the first and only company to receive FDA approval to offer DBS surgery while a patient is asleep under general anaesthesia, or awake.

“This is a significant advancement in our surgical offering, providing another safe and effective option for patients considering DBS,” said Amaza Reitmeier, Vice President and General Manager, Brain Modulation within the Neuromodulation business, which is part of the Neuroscience Portfolio at Medtronic. “This approval underscores our dedication to continuous innovation to address the needs of patients and healthcare providers.”

Several studies have published safety and efficacy data on Asleep DBS and compared the two different DBS modalities:  Asleep DBS and Awake DBS. The company says the clinical data confirms people with Parkinson’s Disease achieve a comparable improvement in certain motor symptoms whether having Asleep DBS or Awake DBS surgery.