Outcome following implantation of a peripheral nerve stimulator in patients with chronic nerve pain

This study evaluated the usefulness of the implanted peripheral nerve stimu lator in patients with pain following injury to a peripheral nerve. The pat ient sample (n = 17) consisted of 7 men and 10 women with a mean age of 48 years (SD = 18 years). The mean follow-up time since implantation of the st imulator was 21 months (SD = 15 months). Workers' compensation and/or litig ation were involved in 11 cases. Peripheral nerve stimulators were placed i n the upper extremity in 12 patients and in the lower extremity in 5 patien ts. Pain relief following implantation was rated as excellent by five patie nts, good by six patients, fair by four patients, and poor by two patients. A statistically significant decrease in reported pain level was found post operativel!: (p < 0.0003). There was no statistically significant differenc e in postoperative pain level between men and women (p = 0.30), between cas es involving workers' compensation or litigation and those not involving th ese issues (p = 1.0), or between patients who received an upper-extremity i mplant and those who received a lower-extremity implant (p = 0.56). Of the 12 patients who were unable to work before the operation, 6 returned to wor k after the operation. In conclusion, pe peripheral nerve stimulators can b e useful in decreasing pain in carefully selected patients with severe neur ogenic pain.