Research Reveals Benefits of New Approach to Electrical Stimulation of the Spinal Cord

Using an implanted device with three columns of electrodes is a new approach to electrical stimulation that may increase the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for severe back pain, according to a new study in the March issue of Neurosurgery — the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

The “tripolar lead” device helps maximize the benefits of SCS for patients with “failed back surgery syndrome,” and may lead to expanded use of electrical stimulation techniques, notes the study, which was led by Dr. Philippe Rigoard of Poitiers University School of Medicine, Poitiers, France. For more information, click here to read the full release.