Articles: analgesia.
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 1994
Multicenter StudyItalian multicentric study on pain treatment with epidural spinal cord stimulation.
A multicentric study on the treatment of nonmalignant chronic pain with epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been carried out in 32 Italian centers devoted to pain therapy. Neurosurgical and anesthesiology units participated in this retrospective study. 410 of the eligible patients were enrolled in the protocol: 48% were male, 52% female. All patients underwent a screening test period (average 21 days) and 74% underwent the definitive implant. ⋯ These results were favorable (i.e. excellent or good; more than 50% reduction of pain) in 87% of the patients at the 3-month follow-up, 75% at the 6-month follow-up, 69% at the 1-year follow-up, and 58% at the 2-year follow-up. Complication rate was: dislocation of the electrocatheter 4%, technical problems 3%, infections of the system 2%. The results will be discussed in correlation with the different etiologies of the nonmalignant chronic pain syndrome.
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Twelve patients with refractory angina pectoris previously treated with angioplasty or coronary bypass and under optimal medical therapy were treated with spinal cord electrical stimulation (SCES) at the C7 to D2 level since 1988. Six patients had a significant improvement of symptoms confirmed by a reduced incidence of chest pain and decreased used of nitroglycerin. ⋯ Three patients died. The SCES may improve the quality of life by reducing the incidence of chest pain in patients previously uncontrolled with maximal medical and surgical therapy.