Neurosurgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Spinal cord stimulation electrode design: prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing percutaneous and laminectomy electrodes-part I: technical outcomes.
The clinical use of spinal cord stimulation for treatment of chronic intractable pain has been increasingly successful because of recent technical improvements, particularly the development of multiple-contact electrodes supported by programmable implanted pulse generators. Contemporary electrodes can be placed percutaneously in some cases and require a limited laminectomy in other cases. ⋯ We can immediately infer from these technical data that the use of an insulated array, in comparison with a percutaneous electrode, would double battery life. Extended follow-up monitoring will be required to assess the extent to which the technical advantages we observed for the insulated array might be associated with improved clinical outcomes.