Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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We report the outcome after vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in children with secondary generalized epilepsy. ⋯ Our study showed that VNS was effective in reducing atypical absence, generalized tonic-clonic, and myoclonic seizures (but not atonic or tonic seizures) in children with Lennox-Gastaut or Lennox-like syndrome. A concomitant improvement in attention level and quality of life and health also was noted. Secondary generalized epilepsy represents a subset of good candidates for VNS.
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Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an effective treatment for intractable complex regional pain syndrome type I pain. Long-term data are scarce on effectiveness, degree of pain relief, predictors, and complications. ⋯ SCS provides an effective long-term pain treatment for 63% (95%CI: 41-85) of implanted patients. Forty-one percent (95%CI: 27-55) of SCS treated patients have at least 30% pain reduction at measurement end point. The number of reinterventions after implantation due to equipment-related problems, battery changes, and complications is 122 over 12 years of follow-up. Sixty-one percent (N = 51) of the patients had at least one reintervention. Mean pain relief of at least 50% (visual analog scale) one week after the test stimulation is associated with long-term treatment success.
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Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is increasingly gaining widespread use as a treatment for chronic pain. A widely used electronic registry could play a pivotal role in improving this complex and cost-intensive treatment. We aimed to construct a comprehensive, universally available data base for SCS. ⋯ We believe that the data base described in this article offers a powerful and versatile data collection tool suited for both clinicians and researchers in the field. The basic data base structure is immediately available on a no-cost basis, and we invite our colleagues to make use of the data base as part of the efforts to further the field of neuromodulation.
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Letter Case Reports
C2 subcutaneous stimulation for failed back surgery syndrome: a case report.
Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a term embracing a constellation of conditions that describes persistent or recurring low back pain, with or without sciatica following one or more spine surgeries. It has been shown in animals that electrical stimulation of the high cervical C2 area can suppress pain stimuli derived from the L5-S1 dermatome. It is unknown whether C2 electrical stimulation in humans can be used to treat pain derived from the L5-S1 area, and a case is reported in which subcutaneous C2 is applied to treat FBSS. ⋯ The burst design is capable of both suppressing the least and worst pain effectively, and she has remained almost pain-free for over three years.
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Letter Case Reports
Spinal-peripheral neurostimulation (SPN) for bilateral postherniorrhaphy pain: a case report.
Postherniorrhaphy pain is a not uncommon, and difficult to treat, pain condition. Success with different methods of neurostimulation has been reported in the literature in the last decade. We assess the use of a new modality of neuromodulation--spinal-peripheral neurostimulation (SPN). ⋯ SPN can be an effective treatment for postherniorrhaphy pain resistant to conservative management.