Spinal cord electrostimulation in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis

The study objective is to assess the effectiveness of spinal cord electrostimulation in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Materials and methods. A study was conducted among 20 patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. All patients had radicular symptoms or neurogenic claudication. Most patients (n = 18) were rejected from open decompression because of severe concomitant somatic pathology. Two patients refused from open intervention, they were offered electrostimulation. All patients (n = 20) were implanted of the test epidural electrode for spinal cord electrostimulation. Outcomes were assessed by using a visual analogue scale and increasing of the distance of non-stop walking in 8 days after surgery. Among patients with chronic spinal cord electrostimulation, outcomes were assessed in 6 months after implantation. A satisfactory result was considered as a decreasing of pain more than 50 %.

Results. А satisfactory result of test electrostimulation was noted in 18 patients, all of them were implanted of system of the chronic spinal cord electrostimulation. The average value of lumbar pain changed from 4.2 to 3.1 points, and the average value of leg-pain changed from 7.2 to 2.2 points. The average value of the non-stop walking distance changedfrom 58 to 245 meters. At the same time, the motor component of neurogenic claudication decreased in only 1 patient. In some patients, after regression of radicular pain, heart complaints became the main factor limiting walking. Before electrostimulation, only 3 patients had no walking restriction. After electrostimulation 7 patients had no walking restriction.

Conclusion. Spinal cord electrostimulation is an effective palliative option in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

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