Perioperative Awareness of Spinal Cord Stimulators Amongst Non-consultant Hospital Doctors

Introduction Spinal cord stimulators (SCS) are increasingly encountered in surgical patients, requiring specific perioperative management. However, formal training for non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) in Anaesthetics and Pain Medicine, who are meant to specialise in this area, is lacking. This study assessed baseline awareness and the impact of a targeted educational intervention. Methods A prospective pre-post study was conducted among NCHDs at a tertiary hospital (n=41). Participants completed surveys before and after a focused teaching session on SCS perioperative management. Outcomes included awareness, knowledge, confidence, and access to specific guidelines, analysed using paired comparisons and normalised effect sizes. Results Baseline awareness of SCS presence was high (90%), but only 39% recognised the need for specific management, and 0% had prior training on perioperative management of SCS. Confidence and knowledge of guidance documents were low (41% and 12%, respectively). Post-intervention, all metrics improved significantly: confidence in identifying SCS patients and knowledge of how to access guidance increased to 100% (p<0.001). All participants reported improved understanding, with large to maximal effect sizes across domains. Conclusion A significant knowledge deficiency exists in SCS perioperative management among NCHDs. A single targeted educational intervention effectively eliminated this deficit, supporting incorporation into formal training to enhance patient safety.