Spinal Cord Stimulation May be Effective in Treatment of Certain Types of Chronic Pain

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a form of therapy used to treat certain types of chronic pain. It involves an electrical generator that delivers pulses to a targeted spinal cord area. This study assessed the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation in relieving two kinds of pain, as well as the complications and adverse effects of this procedure. Two randomized controlled trials were included in the review: one trial included patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I (reflex sympathetic dystrophy) and the other patients with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. The follow-up periods varied from 6 to 12 months. Both studies reported that SCS was effective. More high quality trials with larger numbers of patients are needed to confirm whether SCS is an effective treatment for certain types of chronic pain. Mailis-Gagnon A. Furlan AD. Sandoval JA. Taylor R. “Spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain.”
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (3):CD003783, 2004.