{"id":"d195db0a-7949-4eec-b032-b9d6d4d94cfa","slug":"success-of-lateral-cervical-spinal-cord-stimulation-for-the-treatment-of-chronic-neuropathic-refractory-pain","title":"Success of lateral cervical spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of chronic neuropathic refractory pain","authors":["Rafael Caiado-Vencio","Paulo Eduardo Albuquerque Zito Raffa","Bruna Marques Lopes","Fernanda Lopes Rocha Cobucci","Raphael Vinícius Gonzaga Vieira","Paulo Roberto Franceschini","Paulo Henrique Pires de Aguiar"],"abstract":"Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is traditionally performed by implanting surgical leads along the midline of the spinal cord, over the dorsal columns. Here, we present a patient who successfully underwent lateral cervical SCS to treat chronic refractory neuropathic pain. Methods: A 46-year-old female, with a schwannoma involving the right axillary nerve, presented with a chronic refractory right upper extremity pain syndrome. The tumor was located between the fibers of the teres minor and the posterior deltoid, and measured 2.2 cm in diameter. After 8 months of analgesics, opioids, physiotherapy, and acupuncture, the patient underwent surgery; however, the tumor was unresectable (i.e., due to significant adjacent vascular/neural structures). Three months later, she had a midline C6-C7 laminectomy for placement of a right-sided epidural SCS lead (i.e., containing 16 electrode contacts). Results: Within 4 days following this SCS procedure, the patient’s pain completely resolved; at 10 postoperative months, she still remains pain free. Conclusion: Lateral SCS at the C6-C7 level provided a safe and effective option for the relief of chronic neuropathic pain attributed to an unresectable schwannoma of the right axillary nerve in a 46-year-old female.","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/d195db0a-7949-4eec-b032-b9d6d4d94cfa/featured/hero-1781561652230.png","publishDate":"2022-02-11T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.25259/SNI_853_2021","categories":["Pain","Technical Note"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/11379/SNI-13-52.pdf"}