If you are considering this pain reducing technique, then this article will take you through the steps that lead to a successful surgery. Spinal Chord Stimulation, step by step.
Achieving Chronic Pain Relief With Spinal Cord Stimulator Implants (SCS)
By David L Greene
Spinal cord stimulation, otherwise known as SCS, uses electrical stimulation to provide pain relief of the back, neck, legs, and arms. It is believed that electrical impulses will inhibit pain sensations from being received by the brain. SCS candidates include patients who are suffering from chronic pain and for whom conservative treatments have failed or potentially surgical treatment has not given substantial relief.Prior to having a final implant placed with a spinal cord stimulator, the patient will need to undergo placement of a trial implant first. The doctor will sterilize and numb the area of the back under concern and an epidural needle is placed. Once the epidural needle has reached the spinal canal, a catheter is placed through the needle.
The patient is not completely anesthetized for this trial implant procedure. The reason is that the doctor needs to ask the patient at which point of placement the patient achieves adequate pain relief of the area suffering from chronic pain. Once the catheter is in the position for relieving pain best an external power supply and programmer is attached which supplies power and will allow the patient to wear it for 5 to 7 days.
During the week that the trial implant is placed, the patient will keep a journal detailing exactly how much pain relief is achieved from the trial. If the implant achieves adequate pain relief (such as over 50%), the patient may move on to a final implant. Regardless, the trial implant is removed in the office at about a week's time.
The permanent implant is placed under sedation and often times general anesthesia. Through a small incision in the lower back, the surgeon will perform a small laminectomy or laminotomy, which means a little bit of bone overlying the epidural space is removed. At that point the paddle lead is able to be placed into the epidural space and positioned appropriately in the center for pain relief.
The new paddle leads contain over 10 diodes and there are plenty of programs available for pain relief. By doing this, the patient will have plenty of options in which to obtain relief from his or her chronic pain. A fluoroscopic machine is used in order to make sure that the SCS paddle is placed appropriately, which shows the metallic diodes in appropriate position.
Once the paddle is in the appropriate position, the generator is then placed in the subcutaneous tissue at the top of the buttock region. One needs to make certain that it is not placed in an area the patient will be sitting on. The newer generators are excellent in that they allow for recharging outside the skin while the patient is sleeping. The patient is taught how to shift from one program to the next for optimal relief.
David L. Greene, MD, Phoenix, AZ is CEO of Preferred Pain Center which serves the Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ metropolitan and surrounding areas.Preferred Pain Center is a Comprehensive pain management doctors in Arizona center including Medical and Interventional Pain Management: http://www.preferredpaincenter.com
Check: http://www.preferredpaincenter.com/chiropracticTreatment.html for the Phoenix Chiropractor Treatment, Physical Therapy, Spinal Decompression Therapy, and Manipulation Under Anesthesia.
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Spinal Chord Stimulation: Hopefully this information will assist you in some small way and perhaps become part of your own chronic pain management. We offer this as a starting point of ideas that you might want to share with your own medical professional. Each guest writer presents their own views and they may not be ours.Just some ideas to think about and share.
