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systems had just one or two settings,
the most modern systems allow for
up to 16 different settings, so that a
patient can increase or decrease the
electrical impulses, and can direct
them to certain areas of pain. The
trial implant usually remains in place
for up to a week so that the patient
has the opportunity to gauge their
level of response. An estimated 80
percent of trial patients go on to
receive the permanent implant, having seen a significant improvement
in their quality of life. In fact, both
Statom and Rasheed mention that
it is not uncommon for a patient to
want to keep the trial implant, such is
the relief they experience.
Assuming the trial is a success, a
permanent version is implanted, with
the entire system (save the wireless
remote control) placed under the
skin. Regular checks allow Statom
and Dr. Rasheed to make any minor
adjustments to the settings that may
be needed, but the patient now has
control of their pain at the touch of
a button and, since the control looks
like a mobile phone, no one else
needs to even know that they are
adjusting their pain relief settings.
With a current battery life of twelve
years (and a simple replacement process when the time comes) implant
patients can look forward to a marked
improvement, perhaps being able to
noticeably reduce their need for oral
pain medication or even being able to
return to work.
There are several types of pain
implants available. If you think that
you may benefit from the Spectra or
one of the other types, discuss the
options with your pain management
specialist.
Spectra: How a Remote Control Implant Can
Provide Relief from Pain
By Fiona Young-Brown
Tell people about spinal implants
for pain management and they’re
likely to believe this is some new
RoboCop-style technology, but
believe it or not, they’ve been around
for about 40 years. And they just keep
getting more advanced, offering better relief for those who thought their
pain was just a way of life. I recently
met with Dr. Karim Rasheed, a Pain
Management Specialist at St. Joseph’s
Hospital, and Amy Statom, a Clinical
Specialist with Boston Scientific, to
learn more about the Spectra Spinal
Cord Stimulator and how it works.
There are a number of treatment
options available for today’s chronic
pain sufferer, and just as no two
patients look the same, neither does
their treatment plan. Medications
may work fine for one person, while
another benefits from surgery, or perhaps a combination of the two. Then
there are those cases where nothing
seems to work. It is those “last resort”
cases, as Dr. Rasheed calls them,
where an implant can make all the
difference.
Pain is caused by electronic
impulses from the brain. The Spectra
system intercepts those impulses via
a series of electronic nodes linked to
nerves along the spine, and replaces
them with what is hopefully a soothing sensation.
A patient who might be a candidate for an implant meets with Dr.
Rasheed to discuss the options and to
learn more about the process. They
typically also receive a psychological
evaluation and have the opportunity
to chat with other patients who have
undergone the procedure. Rasheed is
quick to emphasize that there are no
guarantees with the treatment, but
that it gives the patient control over
their pain management plan.
The candidate then undergoes
a trial period, where a temporary
version of the system is implanted.
Unlike the permanent system, the
trial