Reducing Wait Times Could Improve Spinal Cord Stimulator Success for Chronic Pain

According to a retrospective analysis presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s 2014 annual meeting, success rates soared to 75 percent for patients who waited less than two years for a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) implant, compared with 15 percent for patients whose implants happened 20 years after the onset of pain. The authors of the study noted that fewer than 50 percent of patients currently report long-term success with SCS for the treatment of chronic pain. The study included 443 patients who received SCS. Beginning with initial pain diagnosis, researchers examined points of delay to referral for implantation by primary care physicians and specialists. The effects on pain duration related to gender, age, referring specialty, and their interactions were also analyzed. The results of the study showed the mean time from symptom onset to implantation was 5.12 years. Neurosurgeons were found to be the quickest to make a referral, whereas non-implanting anesthetists were most likely to delay implantation, taking up to 2.15 years longer than a neurosurgeon to refer a patient. The study highlights the importance of chronic pain treatment, which is responsible for both physical and psychological suffering, and should be recognized by all physicians. To read more about this study, click here.