Korean J Anesthesiol.  2006 Aug;51(2):195-200. 10.4097/kjae.2006.51.2.195.

Spinal Cord Stimulation in Management of Intractable Chronic Pain: A 5-Year Experience

• Lee CJ
• Kim YC
• Shin JH
• Yoo SY
• Shin HY
• Kim YH
• Han SS
• Joh JY
• Lee EH
• Lee SC
• Park JH

• KMID: 1936660
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2006.51.2.195

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of spinal cord stimulation on intractable chronic pain retrospectively and report our 5-year experience.
METHODS
49 patients with the medical history of trial spinal cord stimulation have been retrospectively analyzed. They consist of 34 men and 15 women, ranging in age from 22 to 89 years. Causes of intractable chronic pain included postherpetic neuralgia, failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, chronic back and leg pain, cauda equina syndrome, perineal pain, diabetic polyneuropathy, and spinal cord injury.
RESULTS
The pain due to failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, chronic low back and leg pain, and spinal cord injury was well controlled by using spinal cord stimulation system. After a trial period of stimulation, 20 patients had permanent stimulators implanted. Most of them reported satisfactory pain relief for maximum 60 months and minimum 9 months. Noticeable complications included electrode displacement and hemorrhage.
CONCLUSIONS
We may suggest that spinal cord stimulation is an effective and safe therapy for chronic intractable pain.

Keyword

chronic; intractable; pain; spinal cord stimulation

MeSH Terms

Chronic Pain*
Diabetic Neuropathies
Electrodes
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
Female
Hemorrhage
Humans
Leg
Male
Neuralgia, Postherpetic
Pain, Intractable
Polyradiculopathy
Retrospective Studies
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal Cord Stimulation*
Spinal Cord*