Efficacy of 10 kHz spinal cord stimulation in complex regional pain syndrome: A retrospective analysis

Introduction: We examine the clinical efficacy of High Frequency 10 kHz (HF10) spinal cord stimulation (SCS) CRPS patients. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of SCS-naive patients with CRPS treated with HF10-SCS after a successful trial. Patients were evaluated at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Outcomes included mean numeric pain rating scale (NRS), mean NRS reduction, NRS percentage improvement (PI), patient reported subjective pain PI (Pain PI), and patients reporting > 50% benefit in symptoms. Pre and post-operative NRS were compared by ordinal regression analysis accounting for the patient's response to the SCS trial. Results: 20 patients met inclusion criteria. 75% were female. Mean age 51 years. Baseline mean NRS was 6.1 for the cohort (1.7). Post-operatively, mean NRS decreased to 4.5 at 2 weeks (p = 0.077), 3.8 at 6 weeks (p = 0.034), 3.7 at 3 months (p = 0.307), and 4.4 at 6 months (p = 0.832). Mean NRS reduction and NRS PI is reported within. Pain PI was 25% at 2 weeks, 55% at 6 weeks, 54% at 3 months, and 53% at 6 months. Greater than 50% reduction in symptoms was reported in 25% of patients at 2 weeks, 85% at 6 weeks, 87% at 3 months, and 64% at 6 months. Conclusions: HF10 SCS may represent an effective treatment option for reducing objective and subjective symptoms in CRPS that warrants further study.