Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent condition and one of the leading causes of lost productivity and health-care costs. The objective of this review is to discuss the role of interventional pain procedures and evidence of their effectiveness in treatment of chronic LBP. ⋯ Implementation of interventional pain procedures in the treatment framework of LBP has resulted in improvement of pain intensity in at least the short and medium terms, but equivocal results have been observed in functional improvement.
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Review
A review of economic factors related to the delivery of health care for chronic low back pain.
We describe tools used to evaluate the economic impact of health care interventions, discuss the economic burden of chronic low back pain, and review evidence on the cost-effectiveness of treating failed back surgery syndrome with spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal drug delivery, acupuncture, epidural injections, disc prosthesis, lumbar fusion, and noninvasive therapies. We also mention the lack of cost studies for emerging therapies, such as vibrotherapy and peripheral nerve field stimulation. Topics include types of cost studies; the economic perspectives taken by such studies; direct and indirect costs; measures of success; definitions of cost-effectiveness, incremental cost-effectiveness, incremental cost-utility ratios, and quality-adjusted life years; the concept of maximum willingness to pay; and the use of cost-effectiveness models. ⋯ The fact that chronic low back pain arises from a variety of causes makes choosing appropriate treatment difficult. Determining the cost-effectiveness of various treatments for chronic low back pain depends on well-designed and well-executed randomized controlled trials with parallel economic evaluations. Researchers can use economic models to extrapolate costs and outcomes over the long term.
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The issue of low back pain (LBP) is as common as it is perplexing. LBP is thought to be a chronic issue in approximately 10% of the U.S. population. This condition has wide-reaching social and economical reverberations. Despite the availability of modern diagnostic tools, the cause of the pain generator is often unidentifiable. The authors were asked to create an overview of the etiology of LBP for physicians who implant neurostimulation devices for the treatment of chronic pain patients. Some prevalence data, based on the current available literature, have been provided for the more common structural conditions causing LBP. However, a comprehensive review of prevalence of various conditions and their respective manifestations as LBP is beyond the scope of this article. ⋯ LBP is an extremely common condition associated, as a symptom, with various disease processes, regardless of their relationship with the lumbar spine or its innervation. This article underscores the broad nature of LBP as a symptom of many diagnoses. The primary conclusion reached by the authors is the most important recommendation by all mentors in medicine, which is to obtain a comprehensive history and perform a complete physical examination on each patient. Despite the fact that there is an emerging school of thought questioning the validity of the physical examination, this tool continues to be the current standard of care and used by a majority of clinicians around the world. The physician must analyze the information obtained from his/her history, physical examination, and diagnostic tools with the recognition of the broad nature of the differential diagnoses of LBP in order to be able to best treat the patient.
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The use of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is well established in the treatment of neuropathic pain. This procedure has been approved in the United States for neuropathic pain of the trunk and limbs from various conditions. International use is variable based on governmental policy. Most studies showing efficacy have focused on pain primarily in the limbs for such conditions as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), sciatica, radiculitis, ischemic limb pain, and peripheral neuropathy. Data on success in neuropathic pain of the trunk and particularly of the axial back are limited. New understanding about the targets of neuromodulation and their treatment with novel neurostimulation approaches has led to a new dawn of enthusiasm for spinal cord stimulation for axial low back pain. ⋯ Improved technology and a better understanding of the goals of stimulation have led to a new ability to stimulate the axial low back and increase the effectiveness of these therapies to reduce pain. New paddle lead constructs, percutaneous paddle lead introduction, and other new technologies have led to an increased number of potential candidates for spinal cord stimulation. Optimizing the application of neurostimulation for chronic axial back pain will depend upon answering questions relating to patient selection, implantation technique, and stimulation parameters.