Stimulation of the posterior columns of the spinal cord for relief of intractable pain.
Sixty-nine patients with chronically incapacitating pain were treated with an implantable stimulator over the posterior columns of the spinal cord. Evaluations at 24, 30 and 34 months showed a progressive decrease in the number of patients considered to have an excellent result. Evaluation of 60 patients with pain of benign origin after implantation of the stimulating device showed only ten patients who could be considered to have an excellent result on the basis of their own report of pain relief. The most common failure of the stimulating devices was failure of stimulation into a painful part.
D000844:Ankylosis / Q000628:therapy; D001100:Arachnoiditis / Q000628:therapy; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries; D002818:Cordotomy; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000601:surgery; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy