UA Open Access Publishing Fund / Introduction: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) provides significant relief for lumbosacral
radiculopathy refractory to both medical and surgical treatment, but historically only offers
limited relief for axial low back pain (LBP). We aim to evaluate the response of chronic axial
LBP treated with SCS using a surgically implanted epidural paddle lead.
Materials and methods: This is a retrospective review of a consecutive series of patients
with exclusive LBP or predominant LBP associated with lower extremity (LE) pain evaluated
and treated with SCS using an implanted paddle lead within the dorsal thoracic epidural space.
Baseline LBP, and if present LE pain, were recorded using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at
an initial evaluation. At a follow-up visit (a minimum of 12 months later), LBP and LE pain
after a spinal cord stimulator implantation were again recorded using the VAS. Patients were
also asked to estimate total LBP pain relief achieved.
Results: Patients with either exclusive (n=7) or predominant (n=2) axial LBP were treated with
SCS by implantation of a paddle lead at an average spine level of T9. The baseline VAS score
for LBP was 7.2; after a follow-up of 20 months, the score decreased to 2.3 (P=0.003). The LE
pain VAS score decreased from 7.5 to 0.0 (P=0.103). Patients also reported a subjective 66.4%
decrease of their LBP at follow-up. There were no surgical complications.
Conclusions: Axial LBP is refractory to many treatments, including SCS. SCS using a surgically
implanted paddle electrode provides significant pain relief for chronic axial LPB, and is
a safe treatment modality
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/621348 |
Date | 08 1900 |
Creators | David A. Stidd, Rivero, Sergio, Weinand, Martin |
Contributors | Division of Neurosurgery, University of Arizona |
Publisher | Dove Press |
Source Sets | University of Arizona |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Article |
Rights | © 2014 Stidd et al. This work is published by Dove Medical Press Limited, and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. |
Relation | http://www.dovepress.com/spinal-cord-stimulation-with-implanted-epidural-paddle-lead-relieves-c-peer-reviewed-article-JPR |
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