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Spinal cord stimulation: a possible therapeutic alternative for chronic mesenteric ischaemia
A Ceballos1, L Cabezudo, M Bovaira
1Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain Management Unit, Lluis Alcanyis Hospital, C. Alzira s/n, 46800 Xàtiva, Spain Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain Management Unit, Rehabilitation Hospital, University Hospital La Fe, Av. Campanar, 21, 46009 Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
A 78-year-old male patient had chronic, unrelieved abdominal pain due to mesenteric ischaemia. Unsuccessful pharmacological approaches included oral morphine plus coadjuvants as well as a sympathetic celiac plexus block which gave pain relief that lasted for 72 h. In order to obtain long-lasting relief, a trial epidural stimulating electrode was implanted after obtaining informed consent and Ethical Committee approval. Complete analgesia was achieved during a trial period of 2 weeks. Thereafter, a spinal cord stimulator was implanted. At the time of writing, 11 months after implantation, the degree of analgesia is complete. We believe that spinal cord stimulation may represent an alternative approach in controlling pain due to mesenteric ischaemia.