Implantation of a new generation of spinal cord stimulators is the only hope for patients suffering from chronic back and limb pain, when treatment in the Pain Treatment sub-section and spine surgery have already been ineffective.
“Chronic spinal pain not only worsens the quality of life, but also strongly affects the psychological health of patients,” says Liuda Brogienė, Head of the Pain Treatment Sub-Department of the Anesthesiology Clinic of Kaunas Clinics. “The causes of back and limb pain can be various – from injuries to excessive physical exertion or sedentary work.”
Assoc. Dr. A. Radžiūnas notes that during this half year, when spinal cord stimulator implantations are carried out in Kaunas clinics, people who suffer from lower back and leg pains, for whom the positive effect was not achieved or was short-lived when applying surgical and pain management methods in pain clinics, were the most frequent ones.
“These patients also used narcotic analgesics for pain, and were bothered by the side effects of the drugs,” says the associate professor. – We have noticed that after implanting neurostimulators, patients first of all notice that they need less and less medication for pain relief, and in some cases they no longer need it at all. Several patients have already successfully returned to work after the operation, which they could not do before due to the excruciating pain they felt.”
After the implantation of spinal cord stimulators for patients suffering from chronic pain began, Kaunas clinics optimized the processes of patient selection for these implantations.
“Pain Treatment Sub-Department of Kaunas Clinics actively cooperates with the Clinic of Neurosurgery, during this time a team of specialists has been assembled to take care of patient selection, assessment of the effect of trial stimulation and postoperative care,” says the neurosurgeon.
Patient selection for this operation is complex and involves a multidisciplinary team of specialists.
“The main specialist is the doctor of the Pain sub-department, who decides on methods of pain relief. The neurosurgeon assesses whether there is an operable spinal pathology and if he sees that surgical treatment will not be effective, he refers the patient to the Pain Treatment subsection for possible spinal cord stimulation, – explains doc. Dr. A. Radžiūnas. – Then at the council, the specialists discuss the patient’s case, whether he can be referred for experimental spinal cord stimulation. Both the family doctor and any other specialist doctor can refer the patient to these specialists.”
Currently, in the country, spinal cord stimulators are reimbursed when patients have already had all possible treatment methods for their pain, including surgical treatment.
“If the patient has not had an operation on his spine, he cannot yet receive compensation for this treatment,” the associate professor notes.
Spinal cord stimulation is a minimally invasive treatment method that has been used worldwide for more than 30 years. Technological progress and solid evidence of clinical effectiveness allowed this therapy to come to Lithuania. In January of this year, the first new generation spinal cord stimulator in Lithuania was implanted in Kaunas clinics.
2024-08-18 09:06:01