Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in deafferentation pain

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1989 Apr;12(4 Pt 2):709-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1989.tb02720.x.

Abstract

Spinal cord stimulation is considered to be ineffective in relieving deafferentation pain. We have retrospectively analyzed the results obtained in a series of 41 patients. Sixteen suffered from pain associated with an incomplete traumatic spinal lesion, 15 from a posttherapeutic neuralgia, and 10 from pain due to root and/or nerve damage. At the end of the test period, 43.7% of the patients with paraplegic pain, (40% of those with peripheral deafferentation pain and 66.6% of the ones with postherapeutic neuralgia), reported satisfactory pain relief and were connected to a chronic stimulation system. At mean follow-up (15 months), only 20% of the patients of the first two groups reported sufficient pain relief. In the postherapeutic group the figure of responders was unchanged. The mean analgesia achieved was 70%. From this analysis we conclude that the results achieved in the postherapeutic pain patients, although positive in only 66% of them, are remarkably stable with time. Therefore, we recommend a percutaneous test trial of SCS in every case of postherapeutic pain resistant to medical treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Afferent Pathways
  • Aged
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuralgia / therapy*
  • Palliative Care / methods*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / therapy*
  • Spinal Cord / physiology*
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / therapy*