Peripheral Nerve Stimulation to the Transverse Abdominis Plane as Therapy for Refractory Abdominal Pain: A Case...

Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an emerging therapeutic intervention for chronic pain that modulates peripheral nerve activity, improving the interplay between Aβ and C fibers to reduce central sensitization and local nociceptive signaling. While the use of PNS is well supported for extremity neuropathic pain, evidence for its application in the transverse abdominis plane (TAP) remains limited. We present two patients with chronic refractory abdominal pain who underwent ultrasound-guided TAP stimulation using the SPRINT PNS (SPR Therapeutics; Cleveland, OH) system. Both experienced greater than 90% pain reduction during the 60-day stimulation period and at three-month follow-up, with one patient reporting sustained benefit beyond five months. No complications occurred other than a transient lead displacement in one case. These cases suggest that TAP PNS may be a safe and effective option for refractory abdominal pain and support further prospective evaluation of this novel application.