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Updated: May 29, 2026
Treating Low Back Pain in Failed Back Surgery Patients with Multicolumn-lead Spinal Cord Stimulation
Published on: June 26, 2018
[Long-term outcome of patients treated with spinal cord stimulation for therapeutically refractory failed back
L Abeloos1, O De Witte, R Riquet
1Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Erasme, 808, route de Lennik, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgique. labeloos@ulb.ac.be
Background And Purpose:
Long-term efficiency (>5 years) of spinal cord stimulation for failed back surgery syndrome is poorly described in literature. The aims of our study were to evaluate the long-term efficiency and the quality of life of our series of patients with spinal cord stimulation for failed back surgery syndrome.
Methods:
The data of 55 patients implanted successively in our institution between 1995 and 2005 for failed back surgery syndrome were collected retrospectively. We contacted them for a telephone survey focused on efficiency, quality of life and treatment satisfaction.
Results:
An internal pulse generator was placed in 42 patients. Thirty-two of them were contacted to answer our survey with a mean follow-up of 8.3 years. Seventy-five percent of our population reported a pain decrease of greater or equal to 50%. The efficiency of percutaneous leads was reported as 50% for the quadripolars and 83% for the octopolars. The surgical leads evaluations were positive in 70% for 4 × 1 as well as for 4 × 2 leads. We observed a default of low back pain relief in 84% of patients with an incomplete pain relief (59%). The ability to sit, get out of the bed, and climb stairs increased in 75%. The walk was better in 82%. Decrease in drug consumption of greater or equal to 50% was observed in 66%.
Conclusions:
Our retrospective study demonstrates a satisfaction of 75% of the patients after 8.3-years follow-up. Spinal cord stimulation is an effective treatment for refractory failed back surgery syndrome.
