Spinal cord stimulation is an invasive therapy for chronic neuropathic pain, usually used as a last-resort treatment when all other treatments have been tried and failed. The clinical value of the therapy has been much debated in recent years; here, we summarize the therapy and discuss the core controversies.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Joosten, E. A. & Franken, G. Spinal cord stimulation in chronic neuropathic pain: mechanisms of action, new locations, new paradigms. Pain 161, S104–S113 (2020).
Shanthanna, H. et al. Role of patient selection and trial stimulation for spinal cord stimulation therapy for chronic non-cancer pain: a comprehensive narrative review. Reg. Anesth. Pain Med. 48, 251–272 (2023).
Eldabe, S., Buchser, E. & Duarte, R. V. Complications of spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation techniques: a review of the literature. Pain Med. 17, 325–331 (2016).
Knotkova, H. et al. Neuromodulation for chronic pain. Lancet 397, 2111–2124 (2021).
Finnerup, N. B. et al. Pharmacotherapy for neuropathic pain in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Neurol. 14, 162–173 (2015).
Thomson, S. et al. Appropriate referral and selection of patients with chronic pain for spinal cord stimulation: European consensus recommendations and e-health tool. Eur. J. Pain 24, 1169–1181 (2020).
Kumar, K., Hunter, G. & Demeria, D. Spinal cord stimulation in treatment of chronic benign pain: challenges in treatment planning and present status, a 22-year experience. Neurosurgery 58, 481–496 (2006).
Duarte, R. V. et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo/sham controlled randomised trials of spinal cord stimulation for neuropathic pain. Pain 161, 24–35 (2020).
Hara, S. et al. Effect of spinal cord burst stimulation vs placebo stimulation on disability in patients with chronic radicular pain after lumbar spine surgery: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 328, 1506–1514 (2022).
Lundh, A., Lexchin, J., Mintzes, B., Schroll, J. B. & Bero, L. Industry sponsorship and research outcome. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2, MR000033 (2017).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
C.V. declares no competing interests. K.M. has received teaching fees from Abbott. His institution has received travel support from Abbott and Boston Scientific.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Vos, C.C., Meier, K. Spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of chronic pain. Nat Rev Neurol 20, 447–448 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-024-00981-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-024-00981-9