Infection Rate of Spinal Cord Stimulators After a Screening Trial Period. A 53-Month Third Party Follow-up

  1. Jan Rudiger PhD, MD1,
  2. Simon Thomson MBBS2,*

Article first published online: 4 NOV 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1403.2010.00317.x

Issue

Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface

Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface

Volume 14, Issue 2, pages 136–141, March/April 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Rudiger, J. and Thomson, S. (2011), Infection Rate of Spinal Cord Stimulators After a Screening Trial Period. A 53-Month Third Party Follow-up. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, 14: 136–141. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1403.2010.00317.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    St. 4, Anesthetics & Paediatric ICU, St. George's Hospital, Tooting, UK; and

  2. 2

    Pain Management, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon, UK

*Simon Thomson, MBBS, Pain Management, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon SS16 5NL, UK. Email: simonthomson@tanners0.demon.co.uk

  1. Financial Support: none.

  2. For more information on author guidelines, an explanation of our peer review process, and conflict of interest informed consent policies, please go to http://www.wiley.com/bw/submit.asp?ref=1094-7159&site=1

  3. Conflict of Interest: The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 APR 2011
  2. Article first published online: 4 NOV 2010
  3. Received: March 27, 2010 First revision: June 8, 2010 Accepted: August 3, 2010

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Keywords:

  • Infection rate;
  • screening trial period;
  • SCS;
  • spinal cord stimulation

Objectives:  Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) infections are common (2.5–13%) and may cause harm. It is unclear if a screening trial with definitive leads presents an increased infection risk.

Methods:  Eighty-four patients with SCS implantations were reviewed from 2004 to May 2008 with a trial period lasting 1–3 weeks.

Results:  During the trial one infection (1.2%) occurred with removal of the SCS leads. Three infections (3.6%) occurred after the second stage and were successfully treated with antibiotics. No full implant was explanted due to infection. The more skilled/experienced operator had a lower infection rate (1.8%) than the less skilled/experienced (13%).

Conclusions:  Our infection rate (4.8%) compared favorably with our previous survey (7.5%). The reduced number of SCS infections is likely to be due to: strict asepsis, double layer hydrocolloid dressing during the trial, prophylactic antibiotics, operator experience, and patient education. Two-stage procedures with extended trials do not seem to increase the incidence of SCS infections.

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