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

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

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