UI - 000079

AU - Racz GB

AU - McCarron RF

AU - Talboys P

TI - Percutaneous dorsal column stimulator for chronic pain control

AB - This is a retrospective review of 26 patients with chronic intractable pain in which dorsal column

stimulation was used as a salvage procedure. On follow-up of 12 to 42.7 months, 21 of the patients had

diminished narcotic usage. Seventeen patients subjectively rated their pain relief as good to excellent.

Another five patients reported some relief of pain. Two-thirds of the patients reported an increase in their

ability to perform daily activities such as walking, stair climbing, and time spent sitting. There are still many

technical problems that plague this procedure, as evidenced by a very high technical complication rate of

lead migration and lead breakage. Whether or not results diminish over long-term follow-up remains to be

seen

SO - Spine 1989;14:1-4