Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Nov 22;14(12):1173.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci14121173.

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Spinal Cord Injury-Related Pain: A Pilot Study

Alexander Alamri  1   2 , Meredith MacDonald  2 , Alaa Al-Mohammad  2 , Lucia Ricciardi  1 , Michael G Hart  2 , Erlick A Pereira  2
Affiliations

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Spinal Cord Injury-Related Pain: A Pilot Study

Alexander Alamri et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has emerged as an effective treatment for managing chronic pain that is unresponsive to traditional therapies. While SCS is well documented for conditions like failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), its effectiveness in managing pain related to spinal cord injuries (SCI) is less studied. This study aims to assess the efficacy of SCS in alleviating SCI-related pain and improving patients' quality of life, filling a gap in the existing literature.

Methods: This cohort study included 15 adult patients with traumatic and non-traumatic SCIs, treated between 2016 and 2022. Patients received SCS implants after either a trial or direct implantation. Pain levels were assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) scores, while quality of life was evaluated using the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) scale. The SCS devices were implanted at different spinal levels, with various stimulation protocols applied, including high-frequency stimulation (10 kHz).

Results: In patients with traumatic SCI, the mean VAS score decreased from 8.6 to 4.5, with 71% reporting more than 50% pain relief. Non-traumatic SCI patients experienced a reduction from 8.5 to 2.5, with all showing more than 50% pain relief. EQ-5D scores improved in both groups. A 49% reduction in pain medication usage was also observed, though one patient required revision surgery due to an adverse event.

Conclusions: SCS significantly reduces pain and improves quality of life for SCI patients, particularly with high-frequency protocols. While promising, further research is needed to optimize patient selection and stimulation parameters for better long-term outcomes.

Keywords: chronic pain; high-frequency stimulation; neuropathic pain; neurostimulation therapy; non-traumatic SCI; pain management; quality of life; spinal cord injury; spinal cord stimulation; traumatic SCI.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A chart delineating the subgroups of implanted patients (tSCI and non-traumatic SCI).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Retrograde paddle insertion at T9-10 for a case of post-ependymoma resection neuropathic pain in a 49-year-old female. Pre-operative MRI (A) and intra-operative X-ray (B). Boston Microburst was employed with a best anatomical location of T9.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Paddle insertion at T10-11 for an ASIA B high-velocity trauma in a 40-year-old male. Pre-operative MRI (A), intra-operative X-ray (B), post-operative X-ray (C).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Barkin R.L., Lubenow T.R., Bruehl S., Husfeldt B., Ivankovich O., Barkin S.J. Management of Chronic Pain. Part II. Dis. Mon. 1996;42:461–507. doi: 10.1016/S0011-5029(96)90013-9. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Davis C.E., 3rd, Kyle B.N., Thorp J., Wu Q., Firnhaber J. Comparison of Pain, Functioning, Coping, and Psychological Distress in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain Evaluated for Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant or Behavioral Pain Management. Pain Med. 2015;16:753–760. doi: 10.1111/pme.12526. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Martin J.E., Inglis J. Pain Tolerance and Narcotic Addiction. Br. J. Soc. Clin. Psychol. 1965;4:224–229. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1965.tb00467.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fishbain D.A., Rosomoff H.L., Rosomoff R.S. Drug Abuse, Dependence, and Addiction in Chronic Pain Patients. Clin. J. Pain. 1992;8:77–85. doi: 10.1097/00002508-199206000-00003. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hay J.L., White J.M., Bochner F., Somogyi A.A., Semple T.J., Rounsefell B. Hyperalgesia in Opioid-Managed Chronic Pain and Opioid-Dependent Patients. J. Pain. 2009;10:316–322. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2008.10.003. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources