Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Pain management:
What is a spinal cord stimulator and how does it work
⦁ Spinal cord stimulators consist of thin wires (the electrodes) and a small, pacemaker-like battery pack (the generator).
⦁ The electrodes are placed between the spinal cord and the vertebrae (the epidural space), and the generator is placed under the skin, usually near the buttocks or abdomen.
⦁ Spinal cord stimulators allow patients to send the electrical impulses using a remote control when they feel pain. Both the remote control and its antenna are outside the body.
What is spinal cord stimulation used for
Spinal cord stimulation is used most often after nonsurgical pain treatment options have failed to provide sufficient relief. Spinal cord stimulators may be used to treat or manage different types of chronic pain, including:
⦁ Back pain, especially back pain that continues even after surgery (failed back surgery syndrome)
⦁ Post-surgical pain
⦁ Arachnoiditis (painful inflammation of the arachnoid, a thin membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord)
⦁ Injuries to the spinal cord
⦁ Nerve-related pain (such as severe diabetic neuropathy and cancer-related neuropathy from radiation, surgery or chemotherapy)
⦁ Peripheral vascular disease
⦁ Complex regional pain syndrome
⦁ Pain after an amputation
⦁ Visceral abdominal pain and perineal pain
⦁ Spinal cord stimulation can improve overall quality of life and sleep, and reduce the need for pain medicines.
Who should get a spinal cord stimulator
As with all treatments, your doctor will want to make sure spinal cord stimulation is right for you — and that it is likely to provide significant relief from your chronic pain. Each patient is different, but generally, people who benefit the most from spinal cord stimulation are those who:
⦁ Have not experienced sufficient pain relief with medications, less-invasive therapies or prior surgeries
⦁ Do not have psychiatric disorders that would decrease the effectiveness of the procedure
Spinal cord stimulators come in three main types:
⦁ Conventional implantable pulse generator (IPG) is a battery-operated spinal code stimulator. A battery is placed in the spine during an operation. When it runs out, the battery must be replaced with another surgery. This device can be a good choice for people with pain in just one body part because it has a lower electrical output.
⦁ Rechargeable IPG works similarly to the conventional device, with the difference that the battery can be recharged without another surgery. Because the energy source is rechargeable, these stimulators can put out more electricity. This may be a better choice for people with pain in the lower back or in one or both legs, as the electrical signal can reach further.
⦁ Radio-frequency stimulator uses a battery that’s outside the body. This stimulator is rarely used today because of newer designs and better technology. It has rechargeable batteries, and like the rechargeable IPGs, it may be better for people with pain in the lower back and legs because of the device’s power.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery
Spinal cord stimulators require two procedures to test and implant the device: the trial and the implantation.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Trial
⦁ The first step is a trial period. Your surgeon will implant a temporary device for you to test out. Guided by a specific type of X-ray called fluoroscopy, your surgeon will carefully insert the electrodes in the epidural space of the spine. The location of your pain affects where these electrodes will be placed along the spine. Your surgeon may ask for your feedback during the procedure to best position the electrodes.
⦁ This trial procedure typically requires only one incision in your lower back to place the electrodes. The generator/battery will be outside the body, typically on a belt, you’ll wear around your waist.
⦁ For about a week, you will evaluate how well the device reduces your pain. The trial is considered a success if you experience a 50% or greater reduction in pain level.
⦁ If unsuccessful, the wires can easily be removed in the clinic without damage to the spinal cord or nerves. If successful, surgery is scheduled to permanently implant the device.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Implantation
⦁ During the permanent implantation procedure, the generator is placed underneath the skin and the trial electrodes are replaced with sterile electrodes. Unlike the trial electrodes, these will be anchored by sutures to minimise movement.
⦁ The implantation can take about 1-2 hours and is typically performed as an outpatient procedure.
⦁ After the local anesthesia has been administered, your surgeon will make one incision (typically along your lower abdomen or buttocks) to hold the generator and another incision (along your spine) to insert the permanent electrodes. The incisions are about the length of a driver’s license. As in the trial procedure, fluoroscopy is used to determine where the electrodes are placed.
⦁ Once the electrodes and generator are connected and running, your surgeon will close the incisions.
⦁ Your surgeon may provide sedation to keep you comfortable and ask for your feedback during placement of the electrodes.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Recovery
⦁ Most patients leave the same day as their procedure — once the anesthesia has worn off. For several days after surgery, your incisions may be painful. Try not to stretch, twist or reach, which could pull at the incisions.
⦁ Dressings will be placed over the incision sites, which can be removed after about 3 days. In most cases, incisions heal within about 2-4 weeks after surgery.
⦁ Your doctor will discuss your recovery plan, but generally lighter activity is recommended for about 2 weeks after surgery.