Long-Term Impact of Spinal Cord Stimulation on Severe Back Pain

A senior executive partner with National Spine & Pain Centers in Arlington, Virginia, Dr. Dan Kendall focuses on interventional pain medicine. Dr. Dan Kendall has comprehensive knowledge of modalities such as intrathecal pumps, discography, and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in addressing back pain.

As reported recently in Medscape Medical News, a five-year study undertaken by Maastricht University Medical Center researchers revealed that SCS is effective in decreasing long-term pain symptoms among people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities.

While the SCS implants are characterized as expensive and invasive, they are seen as effective in addressing very severe pain. After one year, 86 percent of participating patients reported treatment success in achieving significant pain score reductions. With as many as 60 percent of patients living with ongoing pain over the long term, the subcutaneous battery has a lifetime that extends four to five years and provides sustained alleviation of symptoms. At five years, 80 percent of study participants were still using their SCS units and more than half reported treatment success.

Dr. Daniel Kendall completed his anesthesiology residency at Northwestern University Medical School and served as the Chief Fellow of Johns Hopkins Hospital’s pain management program.