脊髓电刺激治疗神经病理性疼痛的应用进展

脊髓电刺激(SCS)通过电脉冲信号阻断疼痛信号传递,干扰疼痛传导通路,激活阿片通道,刺激蓝斑系统及调节γ-氨基丁酸能系统,从而发挥抑制或减轻疼痛的作用。目前被应用于带状疱疹后神经痛、腰椎术后疼痛综合征、幻肢痛、痛性糖尿病神经病变、头面部神经痛、阴部神经痛等神经病理性疼痛的治疗中。     

Spinal Cord Stimulation as a Novel Approach to the Treatment of Refractory Neuropathic Mediastinal Pain

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) offers new hope for patients with neuropathic pain. SCS "neuromodulates" the transmission and response to "painful" stimuli. The efficacy of SCS has been established in the treatment of a variety of neuropathic pain conditions and more recently in refractory angina pectoris, peripheral vascular disease, and failed back surgery syndrome. Recent publications suggest that visceral pain could be successfully treated with SCS. We report the first successful use of a spinal cord stimulator in the treatment of refractory neuropathic mediastinal, esophageal, and anterior neck pain following esophagogastrectomy.     

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) in Deafferentation Pain

Spinal cord stimulation is considered to be ineffective in relieving deafferentation pain. We have retrospectively analyzed the results obtained in a series of 41 patients. Sixteen suffered from pain associated with an incomplete traumatic spinaJ lesion, 15 from a posttherapeutic neuralgia, and 10 from pain due to root and/or nerve damage. At the end of the test period, 43.7% of the patients with paraplegic pain, (40% of those with peripheral deafferentation pain and 66.6% of the ones with postherapeutic neuralgia), reported satisfactory pain relief and were connected to a chronic stimulation system. At mean follow-up (15 months), only 20% of the patients of the first two groups reported sufficient pain relief In the postherapeutic group the figure of responders was unchanged. The mean analgesia achieved was 70%. From this analysis we conclude that the results achieved in the postherapeutic pain patients, although positive in only 66% of them, are remarkably stable with time. Therefore, we recommend a percutaneous test trial of SCS in every case of postherapeutic pain resistant to medical treatment.     

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Complex Pain: Initial Experience with a Dual Electrode, Programmable, Internal Pulse Generator

Abstract: The objective of this study was to engage in an 18‐month follow‐up of 20 chronic complex pain patients using a dual electrode, programmable, fully implantable internal pulse generator (IPG) for spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Implant status, stimulation mode, anode‐cathode configuration (array), cathode position, paresthesia overlap, complications, Visual Analog Scores (VAS), and overall satisfaction were prospectively examined in 20 patients implanted with dual 4 contact, staggered, percutaneous electrodes (Pisces 3487A, Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) internalized to a fully implantable, programmable IPG (Synergy 7466, Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota). All patients had undergone initial implantation for chronic complex axial and extremity pain (eg, Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS), Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)) with dual octapolar, radiofrequency (RF) SCS systems (Advanced Neuromodulation Systems 2098, Plano, Texas). 1 - 3 All patients required conversion to the current dual IPG systems due to RF system receiver sensitivity, preventing further antenna coupling). 1 Dual quadrupolar IPG SCS outcomes were compared to previous long‐term, dual octapolar RF SCS complex pain reports. 1 - 3 Data was collected and analyzed by a disinterested third party. At 18 months, all 20 patients remained implanted. All patients reported using 1 or 2 “best” guarded tripolar or bipolar arrays to maintain favorable paresthesia overlap (77.5%), VAS reduction (9.78 → 4.40), and overall patient satisfaction (80%). Eighty‐five percent of “best” anode‐cathode configurations were activated on both electrode columns about the physiologic midline of the C 3/4 vertebral segments for upper extremity pain, and the T 9/10 vertebral segments for low back and lower extremity pain. Sixty‐seven and one half percent of all electrodes were thoracic and 32.5% were cervical. “Best” arrays were activated as narrow (adjacent contact) guarded cathode tripoles (75%), extended (nonadjacent contact) bipoles/tripoles (15%), or as narrow bipoles (10%). The mean number of active contacts per “best” array was 5.6, with 3.75 anodes and 1.85 cathodes. All patients preferred the current IPG to the prior RF SCS implant, citing RF receiver site sensitivity, difficulty maintaining coupling of the RF antennae, and time intensive RF programming. Conversely, 13 patients (65%) reported IPG site sensitivity that did not affect overall satisfaction. That is, none would convert their current IPG to a smaller IPG to resolve this issue, unless it was of equal longevity. Sixteen patients (80%) were satisfied with the overall level of pain relief, and all (100%) would repeat the IPG SCS implant. This study demonstrates improved overall outcome and patient satisfaction after long‐term, dual octapolar RF SCS conversion to dual quadrupolar IPG SCS systems in the same patient population. It also validates prior dual SCS electrode reports of common array configuration, electrode positioning about the physiologic midline, and patient preference of single or dual programmability in the treatment of chronic complex pain. 1 , 4 , 5 Follow‐up of this initial experience with a multicenter study is warranted.     

短时程脊髓电刺激联合臭氧对神经病理性疼痛患者机械痛阈值、炎性因子的影响

目的：探究短时程脊髓电刺激联合臭氧对神经病理性疼痛患者机械痛阈值、疼痛程度以及炎症因子的影响。方法：选取2021年2月至2023年1月我院收治的神经病理性疼痛患者90例。将90例NP患者根据随机数字表法分为研究组（n=45）和对照组（n=45）,对照组在X线透视引导下植入电极进行短时程脊髓电刺激（tSCS）治疗,连续治疗2周;研究组在对照组的基础上联合臭氧治疗,予疼痛触发点行臭氧注射,每周2次,共治疗2周。记录并比较两组机械痛阈值、视觉模拟评分(VAS),检测两组肿瘤坏死因子-α（tumor necrosis factor-alpha,TNF-α）、白细胞介素-6（interleukin 6,IL-6）表达水平,评价两组治疗后的临床疗效。结果：治疗后,研究组总有效率为82.22%（37/45）,对照组总有效率为62.22%（28/45）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;治疗后,两组患者机械痛阈值明显升高（P<0.05）,且研究组的机械痛阈值明显高于对照组（P<0.05）;两组治疗后VAS评分以及血清TNF-α、IL-6水平显著降低（P<0.05）,且研究组明显低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：短时程脊髓电刺激联合臭氧能有效治疗神经病理性疼痛,提升患者的机械痛阈值,缓解患者疼痛,并降低血清炎症因子水平。     

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome: Clinical Report

Loin pain hematuria syndrome (LPHS) is a rare condition characterized by cryptogenic debilitating flank pain and microscopic or macroscopic hematuria. The pathophysiology of LPHS remains poorly understood, and diagnosis is made largely by exclusion of alternate pathology. Management strategies can vary widely and include chronic opioid medication and a variety of invasive procedures, including regional nerve blocks, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, local capsaicin infusion, and surgical renal denervation. Neuromodulation may provide a new paradigm of treatment for LPHS, potentially sparing patients from long‐term complications of opiate therapy and invasive surgery. This report demonstrates the first case of successful symptomatic management of LPHS using spinal cord stimulation.     

Dynamic Oscillatory Signatures of Central Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injury

Central neuropathic pain (CNP) is believed to be accompanied by increased activation of the sensorimotor cortex. Our knowledge of this interaction is based mainly on functional magnetic resonance imaging studies, but there is little direct evidence on how these changes manifest in terms of dynamic neuronal activity. This study reports on the presence of transient electroencephalography (EEG)-based measures of brain activity during motor imagery in spinal cord–injured patients with CNP. We analyzed dynamic EEG responses during imaginary movements of arms and legs in 3 groups of 10 volunteers each, comprising able-bodied people, paraplegic patients with CNP (lower abdomen and legs), and paraplegic patients without CNP. Paraplegic patients with CNP had increased event-related desynchronization in the theta, alpha, and beta bands (16–24 Hz) during imagination of movement of both nonpainful (arms) and painful limbs (legs). Compared to patients with CNP, paraplegics with no pain showed a much reduced power in relaxed state and reduced event-related desynchronization during imagination of movement. Understanding these complex dynamic, frequency-specific activations in CNP in the absence of nociceptive stimuli could inform the design of interventional therapies for patients with CNP and possibly further understanding of the mechanisms involved.PerspectiveThis study compares the EEG activity of spinal cord–injured patients with CNP to that of spinal cord–injured patients with no pain and also to that of able-bodied people. The study shows that the presence of CNP itself leads to frequency-specific EEG signatures that could be used to monitor CNP and inform neuromodulatory treatments of this type of pain.     

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) in Peripheral Ischemic Pain

Between 1982 and 1987,45 patients suffering from painful symptomatology caused by peripheral vascular disease, not curable by medical or surgical therapy, were implanted with epidural neurological stimulators. Measurements used in evaluating the effectiveness of the method were pain control, walking distance, and development of trophic problems. With most patients, we noted a satisfactory and long-lasting degree of pain control. Walking distance increased to a surprising degree. Trophic lesions smaller than 3 sq cm healed, while lesions of greater size required amputation of the limb. Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcpO₂) was used to study the efects of SCS on peripheral circulation in implanted patients. In addition, TcpO₂ was calculated in 15 patients before and during the percutaneous test to predict the efectiveness of SCS. Regression of painful symptomatology was achieved only in patients whose TcpO_2b improved during the course of the testing. Therefore, this method provides an objective measure for the implantation of a neurostimulator     

Management of Postherniorrhaphy Chronic Neuropathic Groin Pain: A Role for Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation

Chronic neuropathic groin pain is a sequela of hernia surgery that occurs at unacceptably high rates, causing widespread impacts on quality of life. Although the medical community is beginning to recognize the role of surgical technique in the initiation and maintenance of postherniorrhaphy neuropathic pain, little information exists regarding pain management strategies for this condition. This review presents a summary of the pain condition state, its treatment options, and treatment recommendations. Both literature review and clinical experience were used to develop a proposed a treatment algorithm for the treatment of postherniorrhaphy pain. The development of chronic pain may be prevented via a number of perioperative measures. For pain that is already established, some surgical approaches including inguinal neurectomy can be effective, in addition to standard pharmacological treatments and local infiltrations. An unmet need may still exist with these options, however, leaving a role for neuromodulation for the treatment of intractable cases. A pain management algorithm for iterative interventions including stimulation of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is described. It is expected that cross‐disciplinary awareness of surgeons for nonsurgical pain management options in the treatment of chronic neuropathic postherniorrhaphy pain will contribute to better clinical outcomes.     

Electroencephalographic Predictors of Neuropathic Pain in Subacute Spinal Cord Injury

It is widely believed that cortical changes are a consequence of longstanding neuropathic pain (NP). In this article, we demonstrate that NP in individuals with subacute spinal cord injury (SCI) has characteristic electroencephalography markers (EEG) that precede the onset of pain. EEG was recorded in a relaxed state and during motor imagination tasks in 10 able-bodied participants and 31 patients with subacute SCI (11 with NP, 10 without NP, and 10 who had pain develop within 6 months of EEG recording). All 20 patients with SCI initially without NP were tested for mechanically induced allodynia, but only 1 patient, who later had pain develop, reported an unpleasant sensation. The EEG reactivity to eye opening was reduced in the alpha band and absent in the theta and beta bands in the patients who later developed pain and was reduced in those who already had pain. Alpha band power was reduced at BA7 in both the relaxed state and during motor imagination in patients who either had or later developed pain compared with those without pain. All SCI groups had reduced dominant alpha frequency and beta band power at BA7. EEG reactivity to eye opening and reduced spontaneous and induced alpha activity over the parietal cortex were predictors of future NP, as well as markers of existing NP.Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT02178917

Lidocaine 5% Medicated Plaster for Spinal Neuropathic Pain

Spinal cord injuries frequently determine central pain symptoms that are difficult to control. The authors present the case of a 67-year-old suffering from a pleural mesothelioma. During the disease course, he developed a paraplegia syndrome from mesothelioma compression of the spinal cord at T4–T5 level. Following spinal decompression surgery, the patient presented an intense at-level, superficial neuropathic pain syndrome with allodynia and hyperalgesia. After systemic pharmacological therapies had failed, treatment with lidocaine 5% plaster was initiated. The superficial neuropathic symptoms almost completely disappeared within a few days. The lidocaine topical treatment was continued for months with durable analgesic effect.     

丙泊酚对慢性神经痛大鼠脊髓星形胶质细胞激活的影响

目的 :研究丙泊酚对慢性神经痛大鼠脊髓星形胶质细胞激活的影响。方法 :Wistar大鼠 4 0只 ,随机分为 4组 ,Ⅰ组为正常对照 ;Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ组结扎左侧坐骨神经 ,术后第 7天 ,Ⅰ、Ⅱ组腹腔均注射生理盐水 5 0ml·kg 1,Ⅲ、Ⅳ组腹腔分别注射丙泊酚 5 0、75mg·kg 1( 1mgoml 1) ,共 7d ;术后第 6、10和 13天 ,使用VonFrey纤维分别测定各组动物触诱发痛阈 ,观察丙泊酚对其影响 ;随后取脊髓切片 ,观察星形胶质细胞在脊髓背角的分布。结果 :①与Ⅰ组比较 ,Ⅱ组双侧的 5 0 %缩足阈值 (PWTs)在术后第 6、10和 13d均较低 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;与Ⅱ组比较 ,Ⅲ、Ⅳ组双侧的PWTs在术后第 10、13天升高 (P <0 .0 5 )。②Ⅱ组星形胶质细胞在脊髓背角的分布密度 (AD)、平均光密度 (AOD)和积分光密度 (IOD)值显著高于Ⅰ组 (P <0 .0 1) ,Ⅲ、Ⅳ组低于Ⅱ组 (P <0 .0 5和P <0 .0 1)。③与Ⅱ组比较 ,Ⅲ、Ⅳ组星形胶质细胞在脊髓背角数量、体积依次减少。结论 :慢性神经痛大鼠的脊髓星形胶质细胞被激活 ,丙泊酚可抑制激活 ,抑制程度与剂量有相关性