A Prospective Study of Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation for Non-Operated Discogenic Low Back Pain

T12 Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation to Treat Chronic Low Back Pain: A Case Series

“…These pre‐ and post‐values roughly correspond to normalized values from patients with morbid chronic disease to healthy individuals, respectively . The patients included in Huygen et al showed an EQ‐5D increase from 0.31 to 0.50, similar to the findings in the recent Kallewaard et al publications, with index values increasing from 0.34 to 0.82 and 0.61 to 0.84 at 12 months, respectively, in the FBSS and non‐operated cohorts . Our patients pretreatment demonstrated a similar baseline of 0.30, however, the index score improved to 0.86, with four reporting maximal index values of 1.0.…”

“…Kallewaard et al also described, with bilateral L2 DRG leads, that stimulation relieved low back pain arising from post‐discectomy FBSS as well as from non‐operated discogenic pain . These patients were highly screened with diagnostic injections to specifically focus on discogenic pain, so in these cases placement of DRG‐S leads at the L2 spinal level may represent a treatment focal point for pain originating from the intervertebral disc . Another report documented 61% back pain relief with high frequency DRG/nerve root stimulation at either the L2 or T9 levels, with patients generally preferring T9 lead placement .…”

“…In that study, leads were placed at the L2-L3 level(s). Kallewaard et al also described, with bilateral L2 DRG leads, that stimulation relieved low back pain arising from post-discectomy FBSS (30) as well as from non-operated discogenic pain (31). These patients were highly screened with diagnostic injections to specifically focus on discogenic pain, so in these cases placement of DRG-S leads at the L2 spinal level may represent a treatment focal point for pain originating from the intervertebral disc (30,31).…”

“…Thus, the excellent treatment outcomes described here, in which pain was substantially relieved and mean function and quality of life was improved to approach that of non-pain populations, may be indicative of the potential outcomes that are achievable with this intervention for all patients. Thus, it may be reasonable to consider DRG-S earlier in the pain management algorithm, as has been noted elsewhere (31).…”

Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation Interfering With S1 Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation Systems: Experience From Two Cases

“…DRG-S has proven to be beneficial in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) of the lower extremities, 1 and recent small studies are demonstrating its potential efficacy in pain syndromes that are traditionally considered nociceptive in nature, such as axial low back pain. [2][3][4] While improvements in neuromodulation technology have been substantial over the past decade, patients occasionally require additional interventional pain treatments after implantation of SCS or DRG-S systems for treatment of pain.…”