What is pain pacing? Who is it applied to?
Pain pacemaker is a system that prevents the patient from feeling pain by stimulating a very thin electrode placed at the back of the spinal cord. It is especially applied to patients with chronic pain who have had back surgery but whose pain continues. It can also be applied to patients with persistent pain in the legs after spinal cord injury.
Is it possible to completely eliminate the pain or does it only reduce the severity of the pain?
In some patients, the pain is completely disappears. In some patients, the pain decreases. The aim is to reduce pain by at least 50% with a pain battery.
How is a pain battery integrated into the body?
Pain battery can be applied in two ways. The first method is to place the electrode on the spinal cord by entering the patient's space between the spine, which we call the epidural distance, with the help of a very thin needle under local anesthesia. It is a short procedure and the patient does not feel much pain during the procedure. The advantages of this procedure are that there is no need for general anesthesia, the area of pain is fully covered by talking to the patient instantly, thus providing the best pain relief. It is generally not possible to perform it on patients who have had surgery up to their back, such as scoliosis patients. It can be applied to patients who have undergone surgery at lower levels of the waist. The second method is to surgically place the electrode directly on the spinal cord through a small incision under general anesthesia. In both methods, the other ends of the placed electrodes are taken out of the body and connected to the trial battery. The trial battery period usually lasts several weeks. If the patient is satisfied during the trial battery period, a permanent battery is placed under the skin with a small operation.
How is the pain battery used?
Two types of batteries can be inserted into the patient. Normal battery or rechargeable battery. If a rechargeable battery is installed, it is necessary to charge the battery externally using the wireless system at regular intervals. Although it varies from patient to patient, normal batteries last 4-5 years, while rechargeable batteries last 8-9 years. When the battery reaches the end of its life, it is replaced with a new battery.
Can a pain battery be inserted as the first treatment for someone who has never had surgery? What are the criteria?
Pain pacemaker is a method used as a last resort in patients with pain. For this reason, it is not suitable for a herniated disc patient who has never had surgery. The most important application criterion is pain caused by damage to the nerve itself, called neuropathic pain. Patients who have undergone back surgery and who do not have postoperative nerve compression but still have pain are suitable for pain pacing. If the patient has a back problem that can be corrected with surgery, it is not appropriate to wear a pain reliever. First of all, treatment with surgery should be tried. If there is no benefit for the patient with surgery, drug therapy, physical therapy and, if necessary, algological interventions called epidural injection should be tried first. If no treatment method works, pain pacing treatment can be decided later.
Does the use of pain pacing interrupt the use of medication?
Patients who are candidates for pain pacing usually have been for a long time. These are patients who live on painkillers. Continuous use of painkillers can harm our body. The main goal of inserting a pain pacemaker is to reduce the patient's drug addiction or, if possible, to stop it completely.
Can patients prefer the pain pacemaker by trial method? If they are not satisfied, is there a chance to remove the battery?
Patients who are suitable for pain battery are first placed on a trial battery. During the trial period, the patient has only an electrode on his body. The trial battery is outside the body. If the patient's pain does not decrease sufficiently during the trial battery period or if the patient is not satisfied with the procedure, the electrodes are easily removed. In patients with a permanent battery implanted, if the patient feels uncomfortable and is not satisfied with the permanent battery, the system can be completely removed in a short procedure under local anesthesia.
Read: 0
