Acta neurochirurgica. Supplement
-
Brain stimulation has been receiving increasing attention as an alternative therapy for epilepsy that cannot be treated by either antiepileptic medication or surgical resection of the epileptogenic focus. The stimulation methods include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or electrical stimulation by implanted devices of the vagus nerve (VNS), deep brain structures (DBS) (thalamic or hippocampal), cerebellar or cortical areas. TMS is the simplest and least invasive approach. ⋯ Finally, another line of research investigates the usefulness of implantable seizure detection devices. The current chapter presents the most important evidence on the above methods. Furthermore, other important issues are reviewed such as the selection criteria of patients for brain stimulation and the potential role of brain stimulation in the treatment of depression in epileptic patients.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2007
ReviewDual electrode spinal cord stimulation in chronic leg and back pain.
Patients with chronic back and leg pain (CBLP) suffer from a disabling spinal condition of multifactorial origin and are often resistant to medical therapy. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive option for treatment of chronic pain in these patients, which involves placement of epidural electrodes close to the midline of the spinal cord. SCS was originally introduced and used for decades with a single electrode. ⋯ It has been hypothesized that using dual electrodes may improve long term outcome for CBLP patients compared with single electrodes. Current evidence however does not lend strong support to this assumption. Given the high cost of treatments for CBLP and of SCS itself, there is an urgent need for high-quality evidence for the effectiveness of dual electrode SCS in relieving pain and/or improving function in patients with CBLP.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2007
ReviewManagement of chronic severe pain: spinal neuromodulatory and neuroablative approaches.
The spinal cord is the target of many neurosurgical procedures used to treat pain. Compactness and well-defined tract separation in addition to well understood dermatomal cord organization make the spinal cord an ideal target for pain procedures. Moreover, the presence of opioid and other receptors involved in pain modulation at the level of the dorsal horn increases the suitability of the spinal cord. ⋯ Spinal neuroablation can also involve cellular elements such as with trigeminal nucleotomy and the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) operation. The DREZ operation is indicated for phantom type pain and root avulsion injuries. Due to its reversible nature spinal neuromodulation prevails, and spinal neuroablation is performed in a few select cases.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2007
ReviewStimulation of primary motor cortex for intractable deafferentation pain.
The stimulation of the primary motor cortex (M1) has proved to be an effective treatment for intractable deafferentation pain. This treatment started in 1990, and twenty-eight studies involving 271 patients have been reported so far. The patients who have been operated on were suffering from post-stroke pain (59%), trigeminal neuropathic pain, brachial plexus injury, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury and phantom-limb pain. ⋯ The mechanism of pain relief by the electrical stimulation of M1 has been under investigation. Recently, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of M1 has been reported to be effective on deafferentation pain. In the future, rTMS may take over from electrical stimulation as a treatment for deafferentation pain.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2007
ReviewSacral neuromodulation as a functional treatment of bladder overactivity.
Sacral neuromodulation, namely the electrical stimulation of the sacral nerves has become an alternative treatment for cases of idiopathic bladder overactivity. The mechanism of action in this type of spinal cord modulation is only partially understood but it seems to involve stimulation of inhibitory interneurons. Temporary sacral nerve stimulation is the first step. ⋯ In experienced hands, this is a safe procedure. When the patients are selected on the basis of sound criteria, more than three-quarters of them show a clinically significant improvement with a reduction in the frequency of incontinence episodes by more than 50%; however, the results vary according to each author's method of evaluation. The application of this technique should be combined with careful follow-up and attentive adjustments of the stimulation parameters in order to optimize the coordination of activity between the neurological systems involved.