Spinal anesthesia for implantation of a spinal cord stimulator in a patient with failed back surgery syndrome: A case report

Lee, Jae Do; Park, In Kyung; Choi, Seong Soo; Hahm, Kyung Don; Shin, Jin Woo

Case Report

Spinal Pain

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2010;5(1):12-15.
Published online January 30, 2010.

Spinal anesthesia for implantation of a spinal cord stimulator in a patient with failed back surgery syndrome: A case report

Jae Do Lee, In Kyung Park, Seong Soo Choi, Kyung Don Hahm, Jin Woo Shin

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kdhahm@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Spinal cord stimulation has been applied for some patients with failed back surgery syndrome or neuropathic pain. Tests for the spinal cord stimulation can be performed under local or general anesthesia. However, if this is done during an operation with the patient under general anesthesia, it would be impossible to recognize whether an electrode induces paresthesia in the concordant painful area by the patient's self report. A 79-year-old female patient with failed back surgery syndrome had a spinal cord stimulator implanted under spinal anesthesia and the stimulation led to paresthesia on the most painful area of the patient. We report here on a case that surgical implantation of a spinal cord stimulator was successfully performed under spinal anesthesia.

Key Words: Electrode, Failed back surgery syndrome, Laminectomy, Spinal anesthesia, Spinal cord stimulation