A rotrespective study evaluation of patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation in algology clinic of Akdeniz University Faculty of medicine

A Rotrespective Study Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Spinal Cord Stimulation in Algology Clinic of Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine Chronic pain is a common problem which causes difficulties on patients' treatment. Prevelance of spinal pain is 65-80% during the life. Neuromodulation technic occupies an important place in pain management during last forty years. Neuromodulation is based on inhibition of pain pathways dynamicly and functionally. The main principle in spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is administering a low voltage electrical current to the spinal cord of patients and inhibiting the transmission of pain signals to the brain within the targeted area, therefore creating an analgesia. SCS was firstly used in 1967 by Dr. Norman Shealy and et all. When SCS used newly, it was thought affecting only dorsal horn cells. So It was called as a dorsal colon stimulation. Shortly therafter it was determined that the electrical stimulation provides inhibition on the whole medulla spinalis. So the system's name was changed as a spinal cord stimulation. The mechanisms of SCS by which it modulates pain, are not yet fully understood. There are many theories about mechanisms. Some of them are gate control mechanism, direct inhibition of spinothalamic neuron, desendan modulator effects, changes on symphatetic activity and neurochemical modulation. SCS is used for various indications such as Failed Back Surgey Syndrome, radicular pain syndrome, radiculopathy related disc hernia, failed disc surgery, postlaminectomy pain, degenerative disc disease, peripheral causalgia, epidural fibrosis, arachnoiditis, complex regional pain syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy and cancer pain. 62 patients applied SCS were included in retrospective study from february 2011-january 2015 in Akdeniz University medicine faculty algology department. We asked about patients' VAS values before and after procedure, analgesic medicine usings, sleep disorders, pleasure after procedure, daily activity improvement and time of going back to work. We found that decrease on the patients' pain severity and improvement on quality of sleep and daily activities. But there were limitations such as applying SCS by two different pain specialist and using two different companys' system. We thougt these factors could effect our results. As a result; Our study and the other studies show that SCS is reliable and effective procedure on chronic pain management. Key words : Spinal Cord Stimulation, Failed Back Surgery Syndrome,Low Back Pain