Spinal Cord Stimulators and diving

[buff]

I am looking at getting a spinal cord stimulator implanted to treat my constant leg pain.

The manufacturers say you cannot dive to 33feet.

Is this what others have found?

I'm not so interested in testing it myself, but I will if I have to!!!

Thanks
Mike

[cutlass]

I looked at a few implant product sheets and didn't see any pressure specs. (Although there's always some discussion of altitude effects on drug pumps.)

But I do know that there are specific test criteria for implantable devices to qualify as hermetically sealed. A term like "Mil Std 883/1014" rings a bell. IIRC, the applicable standard (there are several) uses a minimum test pressure of 30psi. This is just greater than the absolute pressure (over vacuum) of 29.4psi at 33fsw. Adding a safety factor, it makes sense to say, stay shallower than 33fsw.

[Glub-glub]

Well, I know this is a little late, but I just saw this and was informed TODAY that the St. Jude's Spinal Stim System is good to 90 feet! Not great news for an AOWD, but it's FAR better than 33! If you want to check for yourself, call St. Jude's Medical Neuromodulation Division - Tech Support. Hope this helps!

[buff]

Thanks Glub-glub.

That does help. Its great news.

[corybaby]

i just got an email from Boston scientific saying 33 feet is the rec max, St judes uses two stims that i know of Medtronics and B.S,
the medtronic is rated to 33ft-what does this tell you?