title: Efficacy of spinal cord stimulators in treating peripheral neuropathy: a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peripheral neuropathy is a common cause of pain, and it is increasing in prevalence. Peripheral neuropathic pain is very hard to treat and can be resistant to multiple pain management modalities. Our series aimed at testing the efficacy of spinal cord stimulators (SCSs) in treating resistant painful peripheral neuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case 1: A 79-year-old man presented to our clinic with long-standing history of painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy resistant to conservative management. After failure of all possible modalities, we offered the patient an SCS trial that was very successful, and we proceeded with the permanent implant that continued to help with his pain and allowed the patient to wean down his medications. Case 2: A 60-year-old man presented with chronic peripheral neuropathy secondary to HIV, patient failed all conservative and procedural management. Patient then had an SCS trial that relieved his pain significantly. Unfortunately, we did not proceed with the implant due to deterioration of the patient general health. Case 3: A 39-year-old woman presented with painful peripheral neuropathy secondary to chemotherapy for breast cancer. After failure of medication management and procedures, patient had a SCS trial that improved her pain and we then proceeded with performing the permanent implant that controlled her pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We presented 3 cases with chronic painful peripheral neuropathy secondary to HIV, diabetes mellitus, and chemotherapy that was resistant to conservative pain management and procedures that was successfully treated with neurostimulation.
authors.affiliation: Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison WI, USA. Electronic address: alaaawny@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abd-Elsayed
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schiavoni
authors.affiliation: Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Harsh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000628:therapy; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000628:therapy; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D062187:Spinal Cord Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Chemotherapy; Diabetes mellitus; Human immunodeficiency virus; Peripheral neuropathy; Spinal cord stimulator