#Spinal cord dorsal column stimulator generator#

For the generator placement, patients are given stronger intravenous sedation. The amount of sedation given generally depends upon the patient tolerance. This is necessary to ensure proper placement of the wires. The placement of the wires is done under local anesthesia with mild IV sedation. If you experience any pain during the procedure, your doctor will inject more local anesthetic as needed.

#Spinal cord dorsal column stimulator skin#

After the skin is numb, the procedure needle feels like a bit of pressure at the injection site. It feels like a little pinch and then a slight burning as the local anesthetic starts numbing the skin. Each procedure can take up to 90 minutes-2 hours.Īll of our procedures begin by injecting a small amount of local anesthetic through a very small needle. If it is successful and the patient is satisfied by the degree of pain relief, the second stage involves placing the wires under the skin, tunneling the wires to the location of the battery, and placement of the battery just under the skin. During this phase, the patient engages in relatively normal activity and gauges the effectiveness of the device. The wires may be left in place for up to 5-7 days. These wires are attached to an external generator which the patient controls.

Through a specialized needle, one or two wires are placed in the epidural space. The first stage is the trial stage and does not involve any surgery.

It is for patients who have not responded to other treatment modalities.Ī spinal cord stimulator interrupts nerve conduction along certain types of nerves that predominantly carry pain signals to the brain. Some patients may have neuropathic pain in their extremities and some may have severe chronic low-back pain after spine surgery. Spinal cord stimulation is offered to patients with chronic and severe neuropathic (pain from damaged nerve tissue) pain. A spinal cord stimulator, also called a dorsal column stimulator is a device which stimulates pain-carrying nerves via small electrical wires placed in the “epidural space” just outside the spinal cord.Īm I a candidate for spinal cord stimulation?