Long-term Effectiveness of Spinal Cord Stimulation for Intractable Neuropathic Pain in a Traumatic Paraplegic Patient : Case Report |
Pei Chi Tsung, Myung Ki Lee |
Department of Neurosurgery, Maryknoll General Hospital, Busan, Korea |
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Abstract |
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used to treat chronic neuropathic pain for decades; Spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently results in intractable neuropathic pain. Unfortunately, the majority of literature regarding the use of SCS for central neuropathic pain in post-traumatic paraplegia after SCI is not promising and such papers did not have long-term follow-up greater than 10 years. We describe the case of a post-traumatic paraplegic sailor who presented with intractable neuropathic pain as constant burning and frequent electric-like shooting pain along a few patchy areas of sensation on the Rt. L1-2-3 dermatomes. He underwent a surgical lead implantation on the epidural space at the T10 level in 2002 and obtained good pain relief during the follow-up period of 15 years. Even chronic neuropathic pain in complete loss of motor function with sensory patchy area after SCI may obtain the benefits of SCS. |
Key Words:
Neuropathic pain, Spinal cord injury, Paraplegia, Spinal cord stimulation. |
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