Spinal Cord Stimulation for Neurogenic Claudication Associated with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Pain Management
• Spinal Disorders

Background:

• Debate exists regarding long-term outcomes of surgical decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).
• Limited data is available on repeat surgeries for LSS.
• Neuromodulation with spinal cord stimulator (SCS) presents a less invasive alternative for neurogenic claudication (NC).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the outcomes and efficacy of SCS in treating neurogenic claudication (NC).
• To evaluate SCS effectiveness in patients with and without prior lumbar surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database.
• Inclusion of patients with NC symptoms undergoing SCS therapy between 2013-2020.
• Minimum one-year follow-up for outcome assessment.

Main Results:

• 86% of patients passed SCS trials for NC symptoms.
• 80% of patients with permanent SCS implantation experienced sustained improvement at one year.
• 75% of patients reported sustained benefits for an average of 27 months, including those with prior surgery.

Conclusions:

• Modern SCS techniques provide sustained symptom improvement for NC for at least two years.
• SCS is a viable conservative treatment option for LSS before surgical decompression.
• SCS efficacy is demonstrated in patients regardless of prior lumbar decompressive surgery history.