Spinal cord stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a treatment that administers a mild electric current to block nerve impulses in the spine and treat pain.

Who is a Candidate For Spinal Cord Stimulation?

The procedure may benefit patients who have:

Nerve pain or numbness in the arms or legs
Long-term (chronic) back pain, with or without arm or leg pain
Swelling (inflammation) of the lining of the brain and spinal cord
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
Back pain that continues or worsens, even after surgery to address it

Surgeon preparing for spinal cord stimulation

Physician evaluating patient before spinal cord stimulation

SCS is an option after other treatments, such as medicines and exercise, have failed to alleviate pain.

How to Prepare For The Procedure

Before surgery, patients will need to inform their physician of all medication they are taking, including over-the-counter medicines and supplements.

A few days before the surgery, patients will need to:

Stop smoking to ensure a healthy recovery after the procedure.

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Stop taking blood thinners, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), to prevent problems with blood clotting.
Reduce alcohol intake.
Ask their provider which medicines they should continue taking.

On the day of the surgery, patients will need to:

Avoid eating or drinking before the procedure.
Take permissible medicines with a small sip of water.
Wear shoes with flat, non-skid soles.

What to Expect During The Procedure

During the first procedure, the physician will take the following steps to insert a trial electrode:

Woman with back pain needing spinal cord stimulation

The physician will use a local anesthetic to numb the patient’s skin.
Next, the physician will place wires (leads) under the patient’s skin and into the space above the spinal cord.
The physician will connect these wires to a small current generator outside of the body.

The procedure will take about one hour and the patient will be able to go home once the procedure has been completed.

If the patient experiences significant pain relief, they will be offered a permanent generator. The generator will be implanted a few weeks later, using the following steps:

The patient will be placed under general anesthesia.
The physician will make a small surgical cut and insert the generator under the skin of the patient’s abdomen or buttocks.
The physician will then close the surgical cut and cover it with a dressing.

The entire procedure takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

The generator runs on batteries that may be rechargeable or last two to five years. If the batteries are not rechargeable, the patient will need another surgery to replace the batteries.

After The Procedure

Once the procedure has been completed, the patient will be taken to the recovery room where they will wake up from the anesthesia.

To promote recovery, patients should avoid bending, heavy lifting, and twisting while the wound heals. Light exercise such as walking could support recovery.