Bala, Malgorzata M; Riemsma, Robert P; Nixon, John; Kleijnen, Jos
This systematic review assessed the (cost)effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in relieving certain kinds of pain for people with chronic pain owing to failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). The studies show that SCS is effective in the treatment of FBSS in terms of pain reduction. Improvements were also reported for other outcomes, such as quality of life and functional status. All the studies reported some complications, most of which were technical problems. In terms of cost-effectiveness, 3 studies met the inclusion criteria and offered the same conclusion that SCS is both more effective and less costly in the long-term, but there is an initial high cost associated with device implantation and maintenance.
This review shows that SCS is both effective and less costly in the treatment of FBSS.
Clinical Journal of Pain. 24(9):741-756