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Temporary Occipital Nerve Peripheral Nerve Stimulation at C2 in Refractory Occipital Pain: Case Series
Hesham Elsharkawy1,2,3, Nicolas M Mas D Alessandro3, Shaarav Ghose4
1Case Western Reserve Univerity, Cleveland, OH.
Background:
Occipital pain is a debilitating condition often resistant to conventional therapies. Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) that targets the occipital nerve at the C2 level has emerged as a novel neuromodulation strategy offering targeted relief.
Case Report:
This retrospective case series included 4 patients with refractory occipital pain, cervicogenic headaches, and occipital neuralgia treated with temporary percutaneous implantation of the SPRINT® PNS System (SPR Therapeutics) at C2. Patients underwent 8-week trials followed by longitudinal follow-up periods up to 24 months later. Improvements were noted in pain reduction, physical function, and sleep quality, with decreased or discontinued opioid use and high satisfaction scores. No procedural complications occurred.
Conclusions:
Temporary occipital nerve PNS at C2 may serve as an effective and safe short-term therapeutic option for refractory occipital pain, though the topic warrants further prospective studies.
