Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2025
Treating Low Back Pain in Failed Back Surgery Patients with Multicolumn-lead Spinal Cord Stimulation
Published on: June 26, 2018
Spinal Cord Stimulator Implantation in a Patient With Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis: Case Report
Shabaaz M Baig1, Adejuyigbe Adaralegbe1, Sangel Gomez1
1Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ.
Background:
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a noninflammatory skeletal disorder causing calcifications and ossification of ligaments and tendons. We present a patient with undiagnosed DISH in whom a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) provided adequate pain relief while the disease progressed to become debilitating.
Case Report:
The patient is a 66-year-old woman with an SCS placed for lower back pain due to degenerative changes. The patient presented to the emergency department with progressive right-sided lower extremity weakness and a 3-day history of urinary incontinence. Computed tomography showed new osteophytes consistent with DISH throughout the thoracic spine to the level of T10-T11.
Conclusions:
Our aim with this case report is to demonstrate the importance of preoperative imaging as well as follow-up imaging to evaluate the progression of DISH and having an extensive conversation with patients about whether an SCS is the right choice to manage their pain.
