Burstdr Spinal Cord Stimulation in the Treatment of Chronic Visceral Pain

Abstract

Background:Visceral pain can be disabling for patients and challenging to treat in the clinic. Spinal cord stimulation is a NICE approved treatment for chronic neuropathic pain, presenting potential advantages over conventional therapies for managing chronic visceral pain. Results: A retrospective study revealed that a specific type of spinal cord stimulation, BurstDR^TM (Abbott, TX, USA), was effective at improving pain and quality of life in patients with chronic visceral pain. Baseline pain scores significantly correlated with change at follow-up, suggesting it may be possible to identify potential responders from the outset. BurstDR was safe: rates of revision, explantation and complications were low. Conclusion: Clinical trials exploring the long-term effects of BurstDR including a control arm are needed. Findings could have the potential to inform best practice and improve outcomes for individuals with chronic visceral pain.

Keywords::

• BurstDR
• explantation
• health-related quality of life
• infection
• IPG site
• response
• revision
• spinal cord stimulation
• visceral pain

Author contributions

G Baranidharan conceived the study and led the team. With guidance from G Baranidharan, B Bretherton, T Kay, N Marsh, C Romanis and B Roberts collected the data and B Bretherton performed the statistical analyses. B Bretherton wrote the manuscript with support from G Baranidharan.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

G Baranidharan has consulting agreement with Nevro Corp, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Nalu Medical and Abbott. G Baranidharan had educational and research grants from Nevro Corp, Abbott and Boston Scientific. G Baranidharan has stock options with Nalu Medical. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

G Baranidharan has consulting agreement with Nevro Corp, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Nalu Medical and Abbott. G Baranidharan had educational and research grants from Nevro Corp, Abbott and Boston Scientific. G Baranidharan has stock options with Nalu Medical. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed