Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Spinal cord stimulation: a contemporary series [see comments]. [Review] [32 refs]
Comment in: Neurosurgery 1991 Jun;28(6):932-3
Neurosurgery. 28(1):65-70; discussion 70-1, 1991 Jan.
Abstract:
Forty-three patients with chronic pain disorders of different causes were selected for spinal cord stimulation. All underwent implantation of a ribbon electrode through a small laminotomy, under general anesthesia. Thirteen patients (30%) failed to obtain significant pain relief during a period of trial stimulation, and their electrodes were removed. The remainder underwent a definitive implant and were followed for a mean of 13 months (range, 3-33 months). Nineteen of them (63%) continued to experience pain relief. A detailed analysis of this series, as well as a literature review, is presented.
[References: 32]
Spinal cord stimulation for chronic, nonmalignant pain. [Review] [20 refs]
Orthopaedic Nursing. 15(5):53-8, 1996 Sep-Oct.
Abstract:
Chronic, nonmalignant pain differs from acute pain and cancer pain and can have a significant impact on people's lives. Many therapeutic modalities have been attempted for relief of this pain with varying degrees of success. These include opioid analgesics, relaxation methods, nerve blocks, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and spinal cord stimulation (SCS). SCS has been successful in decreasing nonmalignant pain when other methods have failed. Nurses play an active role in caring for patients receiving SCS through patient education, psychologic support, and programming the spinal cord stimulator. Because of the active role nurses take in painmanagement, a knowledge of pain transmission and the techniques and efficacy of spinal cord stimulation is important.
[References:20]
