Spinal cord stimulation

A spinal cord stimulation system is a technical device that is implanted under the skin. It sends electric impulses to the spinal cord. This way it can help to ease or end pain that is chronic and resistant to any therapy. The electric impulses change the way of pain transmission without harming any nerve.

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What is treated with spinal cord stimulation?
The implantation of a spinal cord stimulator is useful and medically indicated in case of pain emerging from spine or occipital neuralgia if any other therapy alternatives have failed. There are no restriction concerning illness, age or body in terms of spinal cord stimulator implantation.

Which diagnostics have to be carried out before the implantation of a spinal cord stimulation system?
Bevor a spinal cord stimulator is the treatment of choice, we have to clarify what is causing the complaints. Due to this important factor, we will perform a thorough neurological-orthopedic examination and a comprehensive consultation. Subject to the symptoms, additional examination like MRI or CT have to be performed in order to examine, for example, your spine in detail. Based on the results of neurological-orthopedic examination, the consultation and the imaging examination, we assess which kind of therapy is the best for you and if spinal cord stimulation is an individually useful therapy option.

How does the implantation of a spinal cord stimulation system work?
The spinal cord stimulation treatment has to phases. After our physicians have decided that it is medically useful and indicated to implant a spinal cord stimulator, you try a portable device at first.

Through a small surgical approach at height of the middle thoracic spine, small electrodes / electronic leads are placed onto the dura, the exterior layer of the spinal cord and nerve roots. This is done percutaneously, that means through a very small tube inserted into the skin. The trial device is not implanted but remains outside the body. The elctric impulse level is easily adjustable by one hand. For 2-3 days, we test the device together with you at the station of Beta Klinik. Then you will be discharged and test the device for 3-4 further days.

You come back to us after about one week and we discuss the results with you. If the spinal cord stimulator has resulted into an ease of pain or if pain has completely gone away, a permanent implantation might be possible.

During the implantation of the stimulator, we make a small cut of about 4 cm (1.6 inches) and insert the device under the skin of the chest (occipital neuralgia) or the skin of the abdominal or gluteal area. We calibrate the device so that it works with the impulse level that has led to the greatest possible ease of pain or freedom of pain. You stay at the clinic for 2-3 days after surgery. The impulse level is also individually adjustable after the operation by a small remote control.

Since the batteries of the spinal cord stimulator have a lifetime of about 8 years, the stimulator is to be changed after this period. The electrodes / electronic leads remain and are not to be changed.

What chances of success are given in case of the spinal cord stimulation?
If other therapy options have failed in successfully treating your pain caused by spine or occipital neuralgia, there are good to very good chances to profit from spinal cord stimulation. However, we have to wait until the trial period is finished (see previous paragraphs) to give you a more detailed prognosis. In single cases, it is possible that the stimulator does not have the desired effects. Hence, a permanent implantation might not be useful in this cases.

Are there any risks in terms of the implantation of the spinal cord stimulation system?
The implantation of the stimulator and the electrodes / electronic leads is performed by experienced physicians on sterile conditions in a highly modern operating room. Due to this fact, the risks of every operation like infections, bleedings or wound healing disturbance is minimal.

How long am I unable to work after the implantation of the spinal cord stimulation system?
You can resume to work 3-4 days after surgery.

When I can I resume to sports activities after the implantion of the spinal cord stimulation system?
Normally the wound healing process lasts about 10 days, after which you can resume to sports activities.

What kind of aftercare is necessary after the implantation of the spinal cord stimulation system?
Specific aftercare is not necessary. But individually arranged consultation are useful to grant the best possible calibration of the spinal cord stimulator.