CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- It's no coincidence Charleston anesthesiologist Tim Deer was the first physician to implant the world's smallest rechargeable spinal cord stimulator in patients who suffer from chronic pain.

Dr. Deer, a pain medicine specialist with St. Francis Hospital, helped to develop and test the silver-dollar-size medical device over the past five years.

"It's like a pacemaker for the spine," Deer explained. "I have the ideas, the engineers make it work."

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Lawrence Pierce

This week, Dr. Tim Deer became the first doctor to implant the world’s smallest spinal cord stimulator. The device — called an Eon Mini (below) — helps alleviate chronic pain.

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An official with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration watched Deer implant the devices at St. Francis' one-day surgery center. The FDA approved the Eon Mini four months ago, but continues to monitor the initial implants. 

"They all went very well," Deer said. "No problems at all."

The spinal cord stimulator - manufactured by St. Jude Medical Inc. of St. Paul, Minn. - is used to treat pain in patients from failed back surgery, and chronic pain of the trunk and limbs.

Deer's patients include those with diabetes, shingles and radiation damage from cancer treatment.

The nerve stimulator, which costs about $15,000 and another $5,000 to implant, helps 60 percent to 90 percent of patients with certain types of chronic pain, according to initial studies.

Spinal cord stimulators have helped relieve pain since 1967. They deliver mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord, masking the transmission of pain signals to the brain. 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- It's no coincidence Charleston anesthesiologist Tim Deer was the first physician to implant the world's smallest rechargeable spinal cord stimulator in patients who suffer from chronic pain.

Dr. Deer, a pain medicine specialist with St. Francis Hospital, helped to develop and test the silver-dollar-size medical device over the past five years.

"It's like a pacemaker for the spine," Deer explained. "I have the ideas, the engineers make it work."

Deer plans to implant three people with the neurostimulator - called the Eon Mini - today. Earlier this week, Deer put the device in four patients, including a man who suffered chronic pain after a skydiving accident.

An official with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration watched Deer implant the devices at St. Francis' one-day surgery center. The FDA approved the Eon Mini four months ago, but continues to monitor the initial implants. 

"They all went very well," Deer said. "No problems at all."

The spinal cord stimulator - manufactured by St. Jude Medical Inc. of St. Paul, Minn. - is used to treat pain in patients from failed back surgery, and chronic pain of the trunk and limbs.

Deer's patients include those with diabetes, shingles and radiation damage from cancer treatment.

The nerve stimulator, which costs about $15,000 and another $5,000 to implant, helps 60 percent to 90 percent of patients with certain types of chronic pain, according to initial studies.

Spinal cord stimulators have helped relieve pain since 1967. They deliver mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord, masking the transmission of pain signals to the brain. 

"Our main goal is to improve function and people's quality of life, and keep the amount of pain medication and drugs as low as possible," said Deer, who grew up in Chesapeake and graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. "It's part of the standard of care."

The device is only 10 millimeters thick and weighs about an ounce. Its small size allows physicians to make a smaller incision in patients. It's also less visible and more comfortable for patients, Deer said. Larger spinal cord stimulators sometimes create a bulge under a patient's skin.

The Eon Mini is high-powered and has the longest-lasting battery life of any rechargeable spinal cord stimulator device in its class. Patients can recharge the device with a portable charger while walking and driving.

In two weeks, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic and The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore are expected to start implanting the devices, Deer said. 

In the coming years, spinal cord stimulators such as the Eon Mini will be used to treat migraine headaches, obesity and depression, he said.

"In 10 years, you're going to see these devices implanted for almost every [neurological] disease there is," Deer said.

On Wednesday, Deer and his partners - Drs. Rick Bowman, Matt Ranson and Chris Kim - held an open house for the expansion of their Center for Pain Relief on the St. Francis Hospital campus.

The office added 10 patient rooms and hired eight additional employees. The pain center will open two operating rooms Aug. 18, which should decrease the time patients have to wait for procedures.

About 90 million people in the United States suffer from chronic pain, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 348-4869.