Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Objective and Importance. Several previous reports have documented cord compression resulting from the formation of an intrathecal inflammatory mass in patients using intrathecal drug delivery systems. We present the first reported case of an intramedullary abscess and intrathecal inflammatory mass associated with an intrathecal drug delivery system. Clinical Presentation. A 47-year-old man was transferred to our institution from an outside hospital with a 3-week history of the inability to ambulate or move his legs. ⋯ The abscess was linked to infection with Streptococcus anginosus. Conclusion. Generally, inflammatory masses forming along the catheter tip are not associated with infections. We report the first case of an intramedullary abscess associated with an intrathecal drug delivery pump.
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Objectives. Newly developed bidirectional modulated sine waves (BMW) might provide some derived benefit to patients with low back pain. Pain relief by transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) with BMWs was tested. Materials and Methods. Analgesic effects of BMWs and conventional bidirectional pulsed waves on chronic back pain in 28 patients were compared, and effects of repeated TENS using BMWs on chronic back pain were investigated in 21 patients by means of a randomized double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel-group method. ⋯ Weekly repeated treatments using massage and TENS with BMWs for 5 weeks resulted in a decrease of NRS, but there were no significant differences between the TENS plus massage and sham TENS plus massage groups. Conclusions. This study shows that TENS with BMWs significantly inhibits chronic back pain, and treatment effects are attained within a day. The results also suggest that there were no statistically significant long-term effects of TENS with BMW in the repeated treatment.