• Yannick J G M Plantaz, van DongenRobert T MRTMDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.Department of Anesthesiology, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, the Netherlands., Richard L Witkam, VissersKris C PKCPDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands., and Hans Timmerman.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
• Eur J Pain. 2022 Aug 1; 26 (7): 1581-1593.

BackgroundSpinal cord stimulation (SCS) can impact sensory, pain and tolerance thresholds in various ways, which can be accessed via quantitative sensory testing (QST). The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the subjective sensory responses using QST in patients following SCS therapy for PSPS and (2) to get a clinical impression of the results of SCS during an interview of these patients with PSPS and SCS during long term follow-up.MethodsForty patients with PSPS who received SCS treatment underwent QST via electrical and mechanical pressure stimuli. QST was performed at four different moments (1) pre-implantation SCS, (2) two weeks postoperatively, (3) three months after permanent SCS implantation and (4) six months after permanent SCS implantation. Patients' perspectives on pain, use of drugs and quality of life were assessed via semi-structured interviews during a follow-up between 5 and 11 years.ResultsWe found statistical significant differences in the changes of sensory, pain and tolerance thresholds. A decrease in pain complaints and analgesics use were reported by the patients during follow-up. The quality of life in patients increased from three to eight (NRS 0 [worst QoL imaginable] -10 [best QoL imaginable]) after receiving SCS.ConclusionsThe increased thresholds on areas without pain or being covered by the SCS induced paresthesias may indicate that there are central changes contributing to these deviations in thresholds. The overall QoL in patients improved greatly after receiving SCS.SignificanceThis study provides an overview of the effect of SCS on sensory, pain and tolerance thresholds in patients with PSPS throughout the SCS treatment process. In addition, this study presents data from 40 patients with PSPS treated with SCS, analysing several long-term patient-reported outcome measures. The results serve to give more insight into the mechanism of SCS and document SCS as a possible treatment for PSPS.© 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation - EFIC ®.

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