Deep brain stimulation for severe, chronic pain.
Deep brain electrodes placed in the parafascicularis-centre-median area (pf-CM) can reliably relieve severe chronic pain of long duration by simple electrical stimulation, in selected cases. Twenty-eight patients are presented here who had one or more electrodes placed for periods ranging from a few days to several months. Overall results rated good-to-excellent (having 50% or more relief of the prestimulation pain) were seen in 76% of the cases. Intraoperative test stimulation has been very useful in predicting future effectiveness. Also presented are a new disposable ventricular catheter and a burr hole plug and cap for anchoring the electrode wires in the skull.
D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D013133:Spinothalamic Tracts; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei; D014207:Trephining / Q000295:instrumentation