Brain Device for Severe OCD, Approved By The FDA

Filed in archive FDA Approvals , Medical Devices , Mental Maladies on February 19, 2009

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The US FDA has approved a humanitarian device exemption for the first implantable device that delivers intermittent electrical therapy deep within the brain to suppress the symptoms associated with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The said implantable device - The Reclaim System - uses a small electrical generator known as a pulse generator to create electrical stimulation that blocks abnormal nerve signals in the brain. Implanted near the abdomen or the collar bone, this small battery-powered device is connected to four electrodes implanted in the brain through an insulated electric wire known as the lead.

Two device systems may be implanted to stimulate both sides of the brain or one device may be implanted with two lead outputs.

OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions).