Patient-Reported Satisfaction with Using a Rechargeable 10 kHz Spinal Cord Stimulation Device

Abstract

Introduction

Chronic pain is a common clinical condition and is frequently treated with a variety of medications, but pharmacotherapy is oftentimes not the optimal long-term treatment option. Safe and effective long-term pain relief for trunk and limb pain is available using high-frequency spinal cord stimulation at 10 kHz (10 kHz SCS), which is delivered using a rechargeable implantable pulse generator (IPG). Although rechargeable devices have been shown to reduce patient risk and overall cost by eliminating the need for periodic surgeries to replace depleted non-rechargeable IPGs, there is little published evidence that rechargeable technology is practical and convenient for patients, especially in the context of 10 kHz SCS.

Objective

This analysis of real-world patients implanted with 10 kHz SCS devices was undertaken using patient data from an industry-maintained database to investigate whether there was a substantial burden associated with rechargeable SCS and the degree of patient satisfaction or dissatisfaction with 10 kHz SCS.

Results

This study included 10,391 men and women who were implanted with 10 kHz SCS devices to treat chronic pain of the trunk and/or limbs. They received stimulation for a median of 361 days (180–1550 days), and 65.48% had previous spine surgery. In this patient sample, most patients were satisfied with the efficacy of 10 kHz SCS, including 77% who would repeat the procedure and 71% who would recommend it to other patients with similar pain. In regards to IPG recharging, 70% were satisfied or very satisfied and 19% were neutral, and a majority of patients recharged their device daily for 30 to 60 minutes.

Conclusion

These results indicate most patients do not find IPG recharging inconvenient or burdensome. In addition, IPG recharging is not a barrier to the majority of patients benefitting from 10 kHz SCS for long-term pain relief.

Keywords:

• SCS
• spinal cord stimulation
• satisfaction
• real-world

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Erik MacLaren, PhD, from Galen Medical Writing, LLC for medical writing assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure

JMH is a consultant for Abbott, Boston Scientific, Nevro Corp, and Saluda. He has funded research with Abbott, Medtronic, and Saluda. JLT is a consultant for Nevro Corp. MB is an employee of Nevro Corp. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

There is no funding to report.