INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord stimulation is emerging as a minimally invasive technique for treatment of persistent spinal pain syndrome (PSPS). METHODS: We describe a case series of 25 individuals with PSPS who underwent implantation of a spinal cord stimulator device between 2017 and 2021. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in mean visual analog scale pain scores in the immediate postoperative phase, (8.61 vs. 2.3, p < 0.001). There were twelve patients who consumed pre-operative opioid, and 75% showed reduction of use with a significantly lower average daily dose (66.8 vs. 26.9 meq/D, p < 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the Oswestry Disability Index during postoperative follow-up visits (p < 0.001). There were no major perioperative or long-term complications from the procedure in follow-up. CONCLUSION: The analysis of this cohort suggests successful long-term treatment of a diverse set of patients with PSPS who underwent spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and had meaningful improvement in quality of life and reduction in opioid consumption.
Spinal Cord Stimulation as an Alternative to Opioid for Axial Neck and Back Pain: A Case Series