Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain: A Literature Review

The high prevalence and significant impact of chronic pain on patients' quality of life is important as a major public health issue. The condition is particularly concerning due to the high proportion of chronic pain cases that are refractory to conventional treatment. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has emerged as an effective neuromodulation technique for patients with refractory chronic pain, demonstrating superior outcomes compared to pharmacological treatments, including in reducing opioid consumption. Patient selection is crucial for optimizing outcomes following SCS and various factors, including substance abuse, smoking, opioid use, and psychological distress, may adversely affect the success of the treatment. These complications can be classified into device-associated and biologically mediated complications. Despite these recognized risks, neuromodulation through SCS is considered a safe intervention, with a low risk of mortality.