Spinal cord stimulation for medically refractory sphincter of Oddi dysfunction: A case report

Abstract

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by an abnormality of sphincter relaxation and resultant obstruction of biliary or pancreatic flow. Here, we report a case of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for refractory right upper quadrant abdominal pain due to SOD. Prior to SCS, the patient failed endoscopic sphincterotomy, pharmacotherapy, and celiac plexus blocks. The patient’s visual analog score for pain intensity improved from 8 to 9/10 to 1/10 following an SCS trial. The patient therefore underwent permanent SCS placement at the T6-T7 level and had 90% of pain relief after 18-months follow-up.