• Michael D Osborne.
• Mayo Clinic-Pain Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA. osborne.michael@mayo.edu
• Pain Med. 2009 Sep 1; 10 (6): 1046-9.

ObjectiveTo discuss the potential risks inherent to performing radiofrequency procedures in patients with deep brain neurostimulators, and to propose safety guidelines.DesignCase report.SettingTertiary care teaching hospital.SubjectA 67-year-old male with intractable back pain due to advanced lumbar spondylosis, with a history of advanced Parkinson's Disease requiring two deep brain stimulators.InterventionRadiofrequency neurotomy lumbar facet joints.ResultsNo atypical symptoms were reported during the procedure that would indicate iatrogenic injury from radiofrequency effect on the deep brain neurostimulators. The subject's back pain was relieved by 70% for greater than 6 months bilaterally.DiscussionThere are several theoretical concerns when using radiofrequency therapies on patients with neurostimulators. Our patient did not experience any known adverse events during or subsequent to the procedure. This article presents our proposed safety guidelines for using radiofrequency neurotomy on patients with deep brain stimulators.ConclusionsRadiofrequency medial branch neurotomy was performed on a patient with two deep brain stimulators with a satisfactory clinical outcome, and no adverse sequelae. Additional study is warranted regarding the safety and compatibility of brain neurostimulators and radiofrequency interventions.

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