Abstract
A wide variety of therapeutic options are available for the treatment of chronic back
pain, a very common condition in Western countries with high related social and economic
costs. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to achieve adequate long-term pain
relief in spite of intensive analgesic therapies. Subcutaneous peripheral nerve field
stimulation (sPNFS) is a newly approved neuromodulative treatment for back pain. In
previously reported case series, it has provided encouraging results on long-term
pain relief, improvement in quality of life, and a reduced need for analgesic drugs.
Although the surgical technique is simple, there is neither consensus for patient
management nor a standardized procedure for the implantation procedure. After consideration
of our personal experience and the published literature, a basic recommendation has
now been developed. This represents the first step toward planning prospective studies
and standardization of this treatment and will permit comparison of this technique
and the results with sPNFS.
Keywords
peripheral nerve - stimulation - chronic - back - pain