DORSAL COLUMN STIMULATOR TRIAL HOW TO
DORSAL COLUMN STIMULATOR TRIAL GENERATOR
DORSAL COLUMN STIMULATOR TRIAL TRIAL

Sudden stopping, accidents and getting in and out of the car can move the wires.ĭo not twist, bend, or stretch your body at the waist. Limit riding in the car to those trips that are necessary. If they move too much, you can lose stimulation. This is so the wires in your back don’t move.

DORSAL COLUMN STIMULATOR TRIAL TRIAL

You will need to limit some activities during the trial period. They might be able to make some changes to the device for better pain control. If your pain is not reduced during the trial, you should tell the SCS representative. Your provider will let you know if you need to see a physical therapist before and after the trial. Were you able to reduce your pain medicine?įill out the Pain Log for the length of the trial. For example:ĭoes the SCS reduce your pain and by how much?Ĭan you perform more of your daily activities? It is important to keep a record of how things are going during the trial. To help us find out if the SCS is working for you, we want you to be as active as you can while following the guidelines in this handout. A SCS trial period will last 5 to 7 days and no longer than 10 days.

DORSAL COLUMN STIMULATOR TRIAL HOW TO

They will show you how to turn the stimulator on, off, up and down. The SCS representative will teach you how to use the remote. The wires connect to a temporary battery secured to the outside of your body. The doctor will place trial wires next to your spine. The sacrum is triangular-shaped and consists of five fused bones that protect the pelvic organs.A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) trial is used to find out if this treatment will reduce your pain. The sacral region (vertebrae S1-S5) includes a large bone at the bottom of the spine.Injuries to the lumbar region can result in some loss of function in the hips, legs, and bladder control. The lumbar region (vertebrae L1-L5) features vertebrae that are much larger to absorb the stress of lifting and carrying heavy objects.Muscle tension from poor posture, arthritis, and osteoporosis are common sources of pain in this region. Thoracic vertebrae are the only ones that support the ribs. The thoracic region (vertebrae T1-T12) is composed of 12 small bones in the upper chest.They are the thinnest and most delicate vertebrae. Openings in these vertebrae allow arteries to carry blood to the brain and permit the spinal cord to pass through. The cervical vertebrae are more mobile than other areas, with the atlas and axis vertebra facilitating a wide range of motion in the neck. Their main function is to support the weight of the head, which averages 10 pounds. The cervical region (vertebrae C1-C7) encompasses the first seven vertebrae under the skull.Your spine surgeon will give you specific information related to your particular condition and lifestyle goals, as well as a detailed description of the surgery and instructions on how to make the best recovery. Usually patients are discharged the same day and can gradually increase their activity after two to three weeks of healing.

DORSAL COLUMN STIMULATOR TRIAL GENERATOR

The generator is implanted near the abdomen, upper buttocks, or upper chest, depending on where the pain originates. After electrodes are placed within the area from which pain originates, the patient is sedated and a small incision is made to implant the stimulator, an electric pulse generator about the size of a stopwatch. The actual implant procedure is a surgical procedure and is typically done only in an operating room setting. The leads are connected to an external wireless neurostimulator that is secured to the patient’s back during the trial. Leads, which are thin, flexible wires, are placed in near the spine using a special needle.

The trial procedure usually takes about 30 to 90 minutes and is done in a clinic, day surgery center, or hospital. The spinal cord stimulator trial, which lasts about a week, involves stimulation through thin wires inserted into the body and controlled by an external transmitter. What to expect during a Spinal Cord Stimulator Trial and Implantation Controlled sensors automatically adjust to body movement, and generator life is longer. Technological advances have made the battery-powered generators that are implanted smaller, and some models are now safe to be used with MRI. The treatment is used for a range of conditions, including chronic neck or back pain, chronic regional pain syndrome, failed back surgery syndrome, arachnoiditis, peripheral neuropathy, radicular pain syndrome and radiculopathies, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Patients undergo a trial period first to determine if the minimally invasive treatment is an effective option to improve the patient’s functionality and decrease the need for pain medication.

Spinal cord stimulation is a cutting-edge treatment that blocks pain signals from the nerves in the spine to the brain. What is Spinal Cord Stimulator Trial and Implantation?

Dorsal column stimulator trial