title: Supraspinal stimulation for treatment of refractory pain.
abstract: Refractory pain syndromes often have far reaching effects and are quite a challenge for primary care providers and specialists alike to treat. With the help of site-specific neuromodulation and appropriate patient selection these difficult to treat pain syndromes may be managed. In this article, we focus on supraspinal stimulation (SSS) for treatment of intractable pain and discuss off-label uses of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and motor cortex stimulation (MCS) in context to emerging indications in neuromodulation. Consideration for neuromodulatory treatment begins with rigorous patient selection based on exhaustive conservative management, elimination of secondary gains, and a proper psychology evaluation. Trial stimulation prior to DBS is nearly always performed while trial stimulation prior to MCS surgery is symptom dependent. Overall, a review of the literature demonstrates that DBS should be considered for refractory conditions including nociceptive/neuropathic pain, phantom limb pain, and chronic cluster headache (CCH). MCS should be considered primarily for trigeminal neuropathic pain (TNP) and central pain. DBS outcome studies for post-stroke pain as well as MCS studies for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) show more modest results and are also discussed in detail.
authors: Division of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
authors: V K
authors: VK
authors: Parmar
authors: Division of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Gee
authors: Department of Anesthesia, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Smith
authors: Division of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA; Center for Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany NY 12208, USA. Electronic address: PilitsJ@mail.amc.edu.
authors: J G
authors: JG
authors: Pilitsis
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000628:therapy*; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Deep brain stimulation; Motor cortex stimulation; Neurostimulation; Refractory pain; Supraspinal