Journal of Pain Research (Dec 2021)

Health-Care Utilization and Outcomes with 10 kHz Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Refractory Pain

  • Gupta M,
  • Ray M,
  • Ladesich N,
  • Gupta A

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 3675 – 3683

Abstract

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Mayank Gupta, Mahoua Ray, Nicole Ladesich, Akshat Gupta Neuroscience Research Center, LLC, Overland Park, KS, USACorrespondence: Mayank Gupta 10995 Quivira, Overland Park, KS, 66201, USATel +913 339-9437Fax +913 339-9538Email [email protected]: Chronic pain is a common condition associated with decreased quality of life and increased health-care costs. Opioid analgesics are routinely used to treat chronic pain despite limited evidence of long-term efficacy. Spinal cord stimulation at a frequency of 10 kilohertz (10kHz-SCS) has been shown to be effective for treating chronic pain.Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of 10kHz-SCS on patients’ pain intensity, volume of pain interventions, and opioid intake in a real-world setting.Study Design: This study was a retrospective review of patient data.Setting: The study was conducted at a single, community-based clinic.Methods: Outcomes including pain relief, quality of life, opioid intake, and rate of health-care usage were evaluated using data from patients who were implanted with a 10kHz-SCS device to treat chronic pain. These outcomes were then compared for the pre- and post-implant periods.Results: A total of 47 patients with a mean follow-up duration of 15.6 ± 6.2 months were included in this analysis. Mean pain relief was 73 ± 22% and 89% were responders at the final follow-up visit. The rate of medical interventions fell from 3.48± 3.05 per year before starting 10kHz-SCS to 0.49± 1.16 per year afterward (P < 0.001). Of 30 patients with available opioid consumption data, 89% maintained or decreased their intake after implant.Conclusion: Retrospective data from a single center, with minimal exclusion criteria shows clinically significant pain relief with 10kHz-SCS, accompanied by significant indirect benefits including stable or reduced opioid use and reduced interventional procedures.Keywords: chronic pain, pain management, spinal cord stimulation, health care costs, opioid analgesics

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