title: A questionnaire-based study on patients' experiences with rechargeable implanted programmable generators for spinal cord stimulation to treat chronic lumbar spondylosis pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The latest generation of rechargeable implantable programmable generators (IPGs) for spinal cord stimulation may greatly extend IPG lifespan compared with previous nonrechargeable devices. This study explores patients' experiences with these devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients attending the Department of Neurostimulation, Royal London Hospital, who were implanted with a rechargeable IPG (SC-1110; Boston Scientific, Minneapolis, MN, USA) to provide pain relief from post-surgical lumbosacral spondylosis were surveyed using a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients reported a mean (SD) benefit from stimulation of 43.7% (32.6%). On a 1 (worst) to 5 (best) scale, the median score was 5 for ease of recharging. Eight patients who had previously had nonrechargeable IPGs felt the rechargeable system was better (p= 0.0143). A particular issue with nonrechargeable batteries was that, while patients considered 5 years an acceptable interval for battery replacements and the procedure itself not too inconvenient, they felt an acceptable wait for replacement after failure to be only 1 week, much shorter than actual waiting times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients found the rechargeable IPG easy to recharge and those who had had previous experience with nonrechargeable devices preferred using the rechargeable device. Its benefits in terms of pain relief fell within the range expected from previous studies using nonrechargeable batteries. The main disadvantage of nonrechargeable devices as reported by the patients in this study was concern over the length of time they would have to wait without pain relief between battery replacements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurostimulation, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, UK Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. john_m_30@hotmail.com
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Gröningen
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires