Potential benefits of spinal cord stimulation treatment on quality of life for paralyzed patients with spinal cord injury

Tzu Chi Medical Journal, 2023 · DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_102_22 · Published: November 7, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Participation Neurology

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injuries can lead to significant motor and sensory dysfunctions, impacting a person's quality of life. Common issues faced by SCI patients include pain, spasticity, urinary dysfunction, and loss of motor function. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a method that uses electrical pulses to alleviate these issues. By applying adjustable, nondamaging electrical pulses, SCS can potentially reduce pain, spasticity, and improve mobility, thus enhancing the quality of life for SCI patients. This review summarizes breakthroughs in SCS for individual clinical impairments resulting from SCI. It suggests that careful evaluation of SCS can improve neuropathic pain, spasms, motor symptoms, and voiding dysfunction, ultimately improving the QoL for patients with SCI.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

SCI patients

Evidence Level

Review Article

Key Findings

1
SCS can help improve neuropathic pain originating from damage to the central nervous system, though responses to chronic bone, joint, and disk pain may be less pronounced.
2
SCS has shown promise in reducing spasticity in SCI patients, potentially outperforming other invasive techniques in treating incomplete SCI, though the effectiveness may vary depending on stimulation frequency and lead placement.
3
SCS, when combined with rehabilitation, can improve motor function, enabling some paralyzed individuals to recover lower extremity movement and stand with minimal assistance.

Research Summary

Patients with SCI generally experience a lower quality of life due to pain and movement disorders, which can also affect their psychology. SCS may offer benefits for pain, spasticity, motor function, and voiding in these patients. Epidural SCS can stimulate damaged neural circuits caused by SCI and promote voluntary control of the lower extremities. It also presents an adjustable and reversible treatment option for patients with neuropathic pain, especially considering the opioid addiction crisis. Combining activity-based rehabilitation with SCS has the potential to enable patients with sensory and motor complete SCI to incorporate standing into their daily routines, suggesting that SCS can effectively improve the QoL of patients with SCI.

Practical Implications

Pain Management

SCS can be considered as a non-pharmacological approach to manage chronic pain in SCI patients, potentially reducing reliance on opioids.

Spasticity Reduction

SCS offers a potential alternative to medication or surgery for managing disabling spasticity, improving patient comfort and function.

Motor Function Improvement

Combined with rehabilitation, SCS can help SCI patients regain some motor control and improve their ability to perform daily activities.

Study Limitations

1
SCS has risks, such as lead migration, lead fracture, and infection.
2
The parameters for SCS treatment vary for different symptoms and comorbidities.
3
Careful evaluation is required before implementing SCS.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury