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Spinal cord stimulator--trial lead migration study
Michael D Osborne1, Salim M Ghazi, Scott C Palmer
1Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA. Osborne.michael@mayo.edu
Objectives:
Investigate whether percutaneous spinal cord stimulator (SCS) leads migrate significantly during a 3-day trial, and determine whether the skin anchoring method influences lead migration.
Material And Methods:
Twenty patients were prospectively enrolled. Ten leads were anchored with suture and tape and 10 were anchored with tape only. A standardized X-ray protocol of lead position was obtained immediately following lead placement and upon completion of the trial.
Results:
Using a standardized method, SCS leads were measured and movement was calculated. The average movement for leads anchored with tape only was 8.72 mm (SD=5.77), inferiorly; while movement for leads anchored with suture and tape was 24.49 mm (SD=11.3), inferiorly. A t-test revealed a significant difference between the groups (t=3.9, P=0.001).
Conclusions:
Percutaneous SCS trial electrodes migrate significantly, inferiorly, during a 3-day trial. Anchoring the trial electrodes to the skin with a suture and tape results in significantly greater inferior migration when compared with anchoring the lead with tape only.
