Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Literature Review and Two Case Studies

Kim, Deok-ryeong

Original article

Journal of the Korean Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery 2020;16(2):47-55.
Published online September 30, 2020.

Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Literature Review and Two Case Studies

Deok-ryeong Kim

Department of Neurosurgery, Nowon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a safe and effective treatment option for medically intractable neuropathic pain of different origins. Although conventional tonic stimulation has been a mainstay of treatment for the past few centuries, there have been various attempts to overcome the limitations of this treatment modality, such as insufficient pain relief and uncomfortable paresthesia. Recently, a novel stimulation paradigm, called burst stimulation, has been presented as an excellent alternative. Burst stimulation has several advantages, including a more selective modulation of the medial affective pain pathways and paresthesia-free pain suppression. In this paper, the author provides a review of the literature on the effect of burst SCS, as well as two case studies that have been successfully treated with SCS.

Key Words: Spinal cord stimulation, Analgesia, Neuralgia, Treatment outcome