Successful spinal cord stimulation for neuropathic below-level spinal cord injury pain following complete paraplegia: a case report. 2017

Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
Centre for Pain Medicine, Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil, Switzerland.

BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain is common in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and often difficult to treat. We report a case where epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) below the level of injury has been successfully applied in a patient with a complete spinal cord lesion. METHODS A 53-year-old female presented with neuropathic below-level SCI pain of both lower legs and feet due to complete SCI below T5. Time and pain duration since injury was 2 years. Pain intensity was reported on numeric rating scale with an average of 7/10 (0 meaning no pain, 10 meaning the worst imaginable pain), but also with about 8-10 pain attacks during the day with an intensity of 9/10, which lasted between some minutes and half an hour. SCS was applied below the level of injury at-level T11-L1. After a successful 2 weeks testing period the pulse generator has been implanted permanently with a burst-stimulation pattern. The average pain was reduced to a bearable intensity of 4/10, in addition attacks could be reduced both in frequency and in intensity. This effects lasted for at least three months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Even in case of complete SCI, SCS might be effective. Mechanisms of pain relief remain unclear. A modulation of suggested residual spinothalamic tract function may play a role. Further investigation has to be carried out to support this theory.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries

Related Publications

Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
September 2022, Spinal cord series and cases,
Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
March 2009, Korean journal of anesthesiology,
Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
January 2020, The journal of pain,
Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
June 2002, Spinal cord,
Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
February 2009, The Clinical journal of pain,
Tim A Reck, and Gunther Landmann
June 1999, Clinical neurology and neurosurgery,
Copied contents to your clipboard!