Dealing with debilitating or chronic back pain? Don’t think it will just go away if you power through it. It’s best to seek proper medical intervention to keep it from interfering with your quality of life any more than it already has.
Getting a spinal cord stimulator surgery could be the life-changing solution you’ve ever needed. It reduces your reliance on pain medications and can help delay—or even eliminate—the necessity for a more invasive intervention.
Here are some details to give you a general understanding of spinal cord stimulator surgery.
What Is a Spinal Cord Stimulator?
A spinal cord stimulator is an implanted device that sends mild electrical impulses into your spinal cord to block pain signals traveling along your neural pathways from reaching your brain.
The device consists of a generator (battery pack) and thin wires called electrodes, and comes with an antenna and a remote control. The generator works by sending electrical impulses through the electrodes, which are surgically placed in the epidural space in your spinal canal. The remote control is what allows you to operate the device whenever you feel pain.
What Happens During Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery?
Getting a spinal cord stimulator is a two-step process: a trial period and the implantation itself. Learn about what each step involves through the overview provided below:
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Trial Period
The trial period ensures that you respond well to the device and helps your surgeon determine the best placement for the spinal cord stimulator’s generator and electrodes.
During the procedure, your surgeon will create a small incision through which they’ll insert the electrodes. They’ll use fluoroscopy (special type of X-ray) to ensure precision when placing the electrodes.
You’ll wear an external generator or battery pack that you can hook onto your belt or wear around your waist during the trial period. This period typically lasts a week, which is intended to give you enough time to assess its efficacy. If the device provides you with significant symptom relief, your doctor will consider the trial a success and schedule an appointment to do the implantation.
Otherwise, your surgeon will remove the device. Removal is safe, with very minimal risk of damage to your spinal cord.
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Implantation
The implantation process is similar to that of the trial. However, the difference is that the electrodes will be anchored using sutures to keep them in place.
The process takes about two hours and is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. This means you can return home once your pain management specialist finishes their post-op observation.
Conditions that May Benefit from Spinal Cord Stimulation
Your pain management specialist may recommend spinal cord stimulation if you have any of the following conditions, for which nonsurgical interventions no longer provide adequate relief.
- Angina
- Arachnoiditis
- Back pain associated with injuries to the spinal cord
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Neuropathic pain (e.g., diabetic neuropathy and cancer-related neuropathy)
- Postoperative pain
- Sciatica
Pain Management Specialists in Naples, FL
Here at North Naples Surgery Center, we have highly qualified anesthesiologists on staff who employ a vast variety of innovative pain management techniques. They can assess your condition and determine whether spinal cord stimulation is the right solution for you.
To schedule an appointment with one of our providers, call our office at (239) 529-2811. You may also fill out this appointment request form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible to confirm your visit. We look forward to serving you!
