A Revised Psychosocial Assessment Model for Implantable Pain Devices to Improve their Evidence Basis and Consensus with Updated Pain Management Guidelines

Abstract

Although psychosocial evaluations for implantable pain devices have been consensus recommendations since the 1990s, there is an inconsistent support regarding their ability to identify suitable pain device candidates or to predict clinical outcomes. With the emergence of evidence-based practices and the recent release of pain management guidelines emphasizing functional improvements and safety, the disparity between the recommendations for implantable pain device psychosocial evaluations and the evidence supporting them has only grown. In this special report, we describe a revised model for conducting psychosocial evaluations among implantable pain device candidates. This model includes changes to increase the evidence-basis of the psychosocial evaluations, incorporate patient-centered care standards and harmonize the evaluation structure with the most current pain management guidelines.

Keywords::

• chronic pain
• dorsal root ganglion stimulation
• implantable therapies
• pain psychology
• psychological guidelines
• psychometrics
• psychosocial assessments
• spinal cord stimulation

Financial & competing interests disclosure

K Chakravarthy is a consultant to Abbott, formerly St. Jude Medical as well as Bioness, Inc Medincell. 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.