Electric pain control (EPC) of a painful forearm amputation stump

Abstract

Surgically and pharmaceutically uncontrollable pain in the forearm stump of a 28-year-old mine explosion victim of the Viet-Nam War, was successfully treated by electric pain control (EPC), which led to his full rehabilitation. The electrodes of the pain-control equipment were built into the prosthetic socket to enable treatment to be continued while the patient was working in his full-time occupation as a storeman. The theory underlying this form of treatment is briefly described and the method of manufacture of the modified prosthetic socket is provided, so that similar application of electric pain control can also be used in other patients.