Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 1992
Clinical and technical results from spinal stimulation for chronic pain of diverse pathophysiologies.
Spinal stimulation has been indicated for pain of peripheral deafferentation, but not for low-back pain. Technical and clinical records of 241 consecutive spinal stimulator recipients were reviewed, including: peripheral deafferentation pain (n = 44); predominant pain of low back, postlaminectomy (n = 96), and predominant pain of leg(s), postlaminectomy (n = 48). ⋯ For the postlaminectomy syndromes, only the technical results correlated significantly with outcome. Spinal stimulation actually yielded results as good for the 'failed back surgery syndrome' as for peripheral deafferentation pain, because newer technical methods were proven to stimulate the low back predictably.
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 1992
In vivo and in vitro study of the lesions produced with a computerized radiofrequency system.
For many years, radiofrequency-generated lesions have been used for the treatment of pain and abnormal movements. However, the reliability of this method has been questioned because of the variation in the size of lesions produced by the electrode at different times and temperatures. A 500-kHz radiofrequency generator with different electrodes was used to determine the size of lesions, using different time and temperature exposures. ⋯ In contrast, the use of different times at the same level of temperature showed no significant increase in most of the electrodes. There were two statistical significant time effects, for both diameter and length, with the monopolar 2-mm electrode. The use of real-time monitoring with graphic display and the feedback information provided for the computerized control of power and current allows high precision of the temperature at the electrode tip during the production of the lesion.