title: Cervical myelopathy due to an epidural cervical mass after chronic cervical spinal cord stimulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an established treatment for neuropathic pain. Severe long-term complications are rare. Only recently secondary mass lesions associated with chronic stimulation were noted to occur.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the rare occurrence of cervical myelopathy secondary to an epidural cervical spinal mass after chronic cervical SCS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Implantation of a paddle electrode at C2-C4 for chronic neuropathic pain resulted in improvement of pain for several years but it lost its efficacy after 8 years. Myelography and postmyelographic CT detected an epidural mass surrounding the electrode and compressing the spinal cord when cervical myelopathy had developed 17 years after electrode implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mass which consisted of dense fibrous scar tissue was removed via hemilaminectomy. At postoperative follow-up at 8 months there was no further progression of gait disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term cervical SCS in a rare case may lead to fibrous epidural mass lesions which may not only cause loss of efficacy but which may also result in new neurological deficits.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Wloch
authors: H Holger
authors: HH
authors: Capelle
authors: Assel
authors: A
authors: Saryyeva
authors: Joachim K
authors: JK
authors: Krauss
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D062187:Spinal Cord Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors