Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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This study aimed to assess whether patient response to targeted diagnostic peripheral nerve block before peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) device implantation is associated with efficacy after PNS implantation. ⋯ Administration of a diagnostic block is not associated with superior pain relief at three or six months after PNS implantation to that of an approach without diagnostic block. Pain relief from a diagnostic block may potentially predict short-term pain relief after temporary PNS therapy, although future prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the prognostic utility of diagnostic blocks.
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Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a surgical treatment for severe, chronic, neuropathic pain. It is based on one to two lead(s) implanted in the epidural space, stimulating the dorsal column. It has long been assumed that when deactivating SCS, there is a variable interval before the patient perceives the return of the pain, a phenomenon often termed echo or carryover effect. Although the carryover effect has been problematized as a source of error in crossover studies, no experimental investigation of the effect has been published. This open, prospective, international multicenter study aimed to systematically document, quantify, and investigate the carryover effect in SCS. ⋯ The Clinicaltrials.gov registration number for the study is NCT03386058.
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Multicenter Study
A Review of the Factors and Outcomes of Institutional Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation Committees: A Multicenter Experience.
Neuromodulation represents one of the more advanced tools in the armamentarium of pain physicians. To optimize neuromodulation patient selection and management, an institutional interdisciplinary neuromodulation committee was created at each of two academic medical centers (University of California Davis [UCD] and Stanford University). The committee aims to collaboratively optimize neuromodulation candidates, to assess and minimize medical and psychologic risks, and to select the best device given a patient's pain condition. In this study, we present the methods and outcome data of the Neuromodulation Committee at the two institutions. ⋯ The Neuromodulation Committee aims to identify optimal patients for neuromodulation, address procedural challenges, decrease adverse events, provide educational context for trainees, and improve patient-related outcomes. Patients who were recommended for neuromodulation and subsequently underwent intervention had high trial success rates for dorsal root ganglion stimulation and spinal cord stimulation. The findings indicate that such an approach can lead to neuromodulation success, especially at academic centers, by combining the expertise of both medical and psychologic professionals.
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Although studies have described inequities in spinal cord stimulation (SCS) receipt, there is a lack of information to inform system-level changes to support health care equity. This study evaluated whether Black patients exhaust more treatment options than do White patients, before receiving SCS. ⋯ In a health care system with intended universal access, White patients diagnosed with PSPS tried fewer treatment types before receiving SCS, whereas the number of treatment types tried was not significantly related to SCS receipt in Black patients. Overall, Black patients received SCS less often than did White patients. Findings indicate the need for structured referral pathways, provider evaluation on equity metrics, and top-down support.
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DeRidder burst spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has shown superior relief from overall pain to traditional tonic neurostimulation therapies and a reduction in back and leg pain. However, nearly 80% of patients have two or more noncontiguous pain areas. This affects the ability to effectively program stimulation and deliver long-term efficacy of the therapy. Multiple DeRidder burst region programming is an option to treat multisite pain by interleaving stimulation at multiple areas along the spinal cord. Previous intraoperative neuromonitoring studies have shown that DeRidder burst stimulation provides broader myotomal coverage at a lower recruitment threshold. The goal of this study is to correlate intraoperative electromyogram (EMG) threshold and postsynaptic excitability with postoperative paresthesia thresholds and optimal burst stimulation programming. ⋯ This study aims to evaluate the use of intraoperative neuromonitoring to optimize stimulation programming for multisite pain and correlate it with postoperative programming and efficacy. These results suggest that multisite programming can be used to further customize DeRidder burst stimulation to each individual patient and improve outcomes and quality of life for patients receiving SCS therapy for multisite pain.