Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS): a complementary therapy for the management of pain secondary to bony metastasis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of a novel nonpharmacologic analgesic therapy known as percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) in the management of opioid-resistant cancer pain.


METHODS
PENS therapy was administered to three cancer patients on three or more occasion using acupuncturelike needle probes that were stimulated for 30 minutes at frequencies of 4-100 Hz.


RESULTS
Two of the three patients achieved good to excellent pain relief that lasted 24-72 hours after each treatment session.


CONCLUSIONS
PENS therapy is a useful supplement to opioid analgesics for the management of pain secondary to bony metastasis in terminal cancer patients.
Ahmed
H E
HE
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Eugene McDermott Center for Pain Management, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 75235-9068, USA.
Craig
W F
WF
White
P F
PF
Huber
P
P
D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008488:Medical Illustration; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009339:Needles; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D019233:Retreatment; D019452:Terminally Ill; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009294:Narcotics