• Thorsten Bartsch, Koen Paemeleire, and Peter J Goadsby.
• Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Schleswig Holstein, University of Kiel, Germany.
• Curr. Opin. Neurol. 2009 Jun 1;22(3):262-8.

Purpose Of ReviewConventional management options in medically intractable chronic-headache syndromes, such as chronic migraine, chronic cluster headache and hemicrania continua, are often limited. This review summarizes the current concepts, approaches and outcome data of invasive device-based neurostimulation approaches using occipital-nerve stimulation and deep-brain stimulation.Recent FindingsRecently, there has been considerable progress in neurostimulation approaches to medically intractable chronic-headache syndromes. Previous studies have analysed the safety and efficacy of suboccipital neurostimulation in drug-resistant chronic-headache syndromes such as in chronic migraine, chronic cluster headache and hemicrania continua. The studies suggest suboccipital neurostimulation can have an effect even decades after onset of headaches, thus representing a possible therapeutic option inpatients that do not respond to any medication. Similarly, to date over 50 patients with cluster headaches underwent hypothalamic deep-brain stimulation. From these, an average of 50-70% did show a significant positive response.SummaryThese findings will help to further elucidate the clinical potential of neurostimulation in chronic headache.

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