Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been around since the late 1960s to treat pain. It has been used widely for the treatment of refractory pain since the mid to late 1980s. It involves placing small barrel shaped leads into the epidural space of the spine or over a peripheral nerve. The lead has from four to sixteen electrodes at the tip where electrical energy can be delivered to the target tissue. Power is supplied to the leads by a rechargeable pacemaker type battery. Many different types of pain are treated with this technology. Historically the use of spinal cord stimulation has been recommended when all other treatment options have failed.