Spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain

Stocks R A, Williams C T
Record ID 32004000022
English
Authors' objectives:

This study aims to assess the effects of spinal cord stimulation in people with chronic pain.

Authors' recommendations: Chronic back pain and non-ischaemic leg pain: One high quality systematic review has found insufficient evidence on the effects of spinal cord stimulation for failed back surgery syndrome. We found insufficient evidence on the effects in people with other chronic back pain or non-ischaemic leg pain. Treatment awaits evaluation in controlled trials with well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, to assess efficacy and adverse effects in clinically applicable patient populations. Ischaemic leg pain: We found two RCTs, which suggested that spinal cord stimulation plus conventional analgesia significantly improve pain compared with baseline assessment in people with chronic lower limb ischaemia unsuitable for or unresponsive to bypass surgery. However, the studies found no evidence that adding spinal cord stimulation to conventional analgesia improved pain or limb survival compared with analgesia alone over a period of 18-24 months. Functional effects remain unclear. Intractable angina: We found weak evidence from one small RCT that spinal cord stimulation may be effective for reducing intensity and frequency of anginal symptoms. Further trials are needed to confirm or refute this finding. Functional effects remain unclear.
Authors' methods: Review
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.wihrd.soton.ac.uk
Year Published: 2001
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England
MeSH Terms
  • Chronic Disease
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy
  • Pain
  • Spinal Cord
Contact
Organisation Name: Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development
Contact Address: Pauline King. Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development, Boldrewood Medical School, Bassett Crescent East, Highfield, Southampton. SO16 7PX Tel. +44 1703 595661 Fax +44 1703 595662
Copyright: Bazian Ltd, Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.