Successful spinal cord stimulation for neuropathic below-level spinal cord injury pain following complete paraplegia: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Neuropathic pain is common in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and often difficult to treat. We report a case where epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) below the level of injury has been successfully applied in a patient with a complete spinal cord lesion.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year-old female presented with neuropathic below-level SCI pain of both lower legs and feet due to complete SCI below T5. Time and pain duration since injury was 2 years. Pain intensity was reported on numeric rating scale with an average of 7/10 (0 meaning no pain, 10 meaning the worst imaginable pain), but also with about 8-10 pain attacks during the day with an intensity of 9/10, which lasted between some minutes and half an hour. SCS was applied below the level of injury at-level T11-L1. After a successful 2 weeks testing period the pulse generator has been implanted permanently with a burst-stimulation pattern. The average pain was reduced to a bearable intensity of 4/10, in addition attacks could be reduced both in frequency and in intensity. This effects lasted for at least three months of follow-up.

DISCUSSION: Even in case of complete SCI, SCS might be effective. Mechanisms of pain relief remain unclear. A modulation of suggested residual spinothalamic tract function may play a role. Further investigation has to be carried out to support this theory.