Biomaterial Database

Dorsal column stimulation in pain treatment. 1987

K Wester

Thirty-five patients with chronic pain were treated by electrical stimulation of the dorsal columns through implanted epidural electrodes. In 5, such stimulation had minimal pain-reducing effect during an immediate postoperative trial period, and the electrodes were removed. In the remaining 30, an electrode system for chronic stimulation was implanted. Four of these died of related or unrelated causes. The electrode system was removed in 2 patients due to infections, and in 1 due to mechanical discomfort. The remaining 23 patients answered a questionnaire concerning the pain reducing effect of stimulation (4-60 months postoperatively, median 15 months). The group as a whole estimated the pain reducing effect of stimulation as weak. Only 10 patients (43.5%) used the stimulator regularly. Even in these patients, the pain-reducing effect was limited. Chronic back pain after repeated back surgery responded relatively better to stimulation than did the other cases. Phantom limb pain was most resistant. The modest results suggest future restriction on the use of such stimulation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010591	Phantom Limb	Perception of painful and nonpainful phantom sensations that occur following the complete or partial loss of a limb. The majority of individuals with an amputated extremity will experience the impression that the limb is still present, and in many cases, painful. (From Neurol Clin 1998 Nov;16(4):919-36; Brain 1998 Sep;121(Pt 9):1603-30)	Pseudomelia,Phantom Limb Pain,Phantom Pain,Phantom Sensation,Limb Pain, Phantom,Limb Pains, Phantom,Limb, Phantom,Limbs, Phantom,Pain, Phantom,Pain, Phantom Limb,Pains, Phantom,Pains, Phantom Limb,Phantom Limb Pains,Phantom Limbs,Phantom Pains,Phantom Sensations,Pseudomelias,Sensation, Phantom,Sensations, Phantom
D002908	Chronic Disease	Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2).	Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D004599	Electric Stimulation Therapy	Application of electric current in treatment without the generation of perceptible heat. It includes electric stimulation of nerves or muscles, passage of current into the body, or use of interrupted current of low intensity to raise the detection threshold of the skin to pain.	Electrotherapy,Electrical Stimulation Therapy,Interferential Current Electrotherapy,Therapeutic Electric Stimulation,Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation,Therapy, Electric Stimulation,Electric Stimulation, Therapeutic,Electrical Stimulation, Therapeutic,Electrotherapy, Interferential Current,Stimulation Therapy, Electric,Stimulation Therapy, Electrical,Stimulation, Therapeutic Electric,Stimulation, Therapeutic Electrical,Therapy, Electrical Stimulation
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000772	Anesthesia, Local	A blocking of nerve conduction to a specific area by an injection of an anesthetic agent.	Anesthesia, Infiltration,Local Anesthesia,Neural Therapy of Huneke,Huneke Neural Therapy,Infiltration Anesthesia
D001100	Arachnoiditis	Acute or chronic inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the meninges most often involving the spinal cord or base of the brain. This term generally refers to a persistent inflammatory process characterized by thickening of the ARACHNOID membrane and dural adhesions. Associated conditions include prior surgery, infections, trauma, SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE, and chemical irritation. Clinical features vary with the site of inflammation, but include cranial neuropathies, radiculopathies, and myelopathies. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1997, Ch48, p25)	Arachnoid Membrane Inflammation,Inflammation, Arachnoid Membrane,Arachnoid Membrane Inflammations,Arachnoiditides,Inflammations, Arachnoid Membrane
D013116	Spinal Cord	A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER.	Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords
D014652	Vascular Diseases	Pathological processes involving any of the BLOOD VESSELS in the cardiac or peripheral circulation. They include diseases of ARTERIES; VEINS; and rest of the vasculature system in the body.	Disease, Vascular,Diseases, Vascular,Vascular Disease
D059408	Pain Management	A form of therapy that employs a coordinated and interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those experiencing pain.	Management, Pain,Managements, Pain,Pain Managements