Medtronic just released a new product called the Medtronic NURO for treating overactive bladder (OAB). It will compete directly with Uroplasty's incumbent product Urgent® PC. (Note: Uroplasty is now owned by Cogentix Medical) We have been using the Urgent PC product within several partner clinics we serve, and we have had great success with it. I am sure many will be looking for a NURO and Urgent PC product comparison, so we have attempted to compile a comparison in the bullets below and in the included video. There are quite a few differences, but the major ones are detailed below.
- Form Factor - The NURO neuromodulation generator is much smaller and is attached to the ankle, while the Urgent PC generator is larger and is not attached to the ankle. This is more important than one might think because it better allows the patient to move around while being treated. This makes it much nicer for the patient.
- Rechargeable Battery - This may be a minor feature for most clinics, but the battery is rechargeable in the NURO. It is recharged via a mini-USB charger which can be found almost anywhere. The Urgent PC requires normal 9 Volt Batteries that are replaceable. This is not a major differentiator to us, but it is a point of difference.
- Leads - The Lead for the NURO is reusable, while new leads are required for each session for Urgent PC. The clip for the NURO is disposable rather than the lead. This is a minor difference, but it does make maintaining the NURO slightly easier.
- SupportLink - In our opinion, this is a huge area of difference. (Donald Trump might say it is a YUGE area of difference.) SupportLink allows each patient to have access to a Medtronic "virtual coach" to help them get through and stay committed to the treatment. The biggest issue with any type of treatment like this is keeping the patient engaged and encouraged. The patient has to go to treatments weekly for multiple weeks, which is not easy for many patients. The SupportLink staff stay in touch with the patients, encourage them, and address their questions. In our humble opinion, this will help many more patients get through the treatments successfully.
- Pricing - The pricing for NURO appears to be slightly better than for Urgent PC, but only slightly better.
For a video summary see the video below.
