Operative Orthopädie und Traumatologie
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Oper Orthop Traumatol · Aug 2021
[Minimally invasive implantation technique of a system for spinal cord stimulation].
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) targets structures of the dorsal column and dorsal horn of the spinal cord with electrical impulses, thereby, modulating pain perception. For chronic pain patients, e.g., in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), the aim is to achieve pain relief and enable patients to improve their quality of life. ⋯ In all, 19 consecutive patients with FBSS were treated by high frequency SCS (HF-SCS) and included in a prospective prognostic study. In 18 patients, an internal pulse generator (IPG) for HF-SCS was permanently implanted. Therapy success was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analogue pain scale (VAS) and painDetect questionnaire. Neuropathic pain of the legs versus the back (median values: VAS leg 71 mm, VAS back 69 mm) was dominant in the patients at a preoperative mean ODI of 63%. With HF-SCS therapy, a pronounced pain reduction was seen and persisted in the follow-up after 6 months (VAS leg 18 mm, VAS back 24 mm). The ODI showed an improvement to a mean of 24% after 6 months.