Simultaneous intrathecal opioid pump and spinal cord stimulation for pain management: analysis of 11 patients with failed back surgery syndrome.

Dual-modality management of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) using a combination of an intrathecal opioid pump (IOP) and spinal cord stimulator (SCS) has not been investigated. The authors performed a retrospective review of 11 patients (8 men, 3 women) with FBSS who underwent nonsimultaneous surgical implantation of both an IOP and a thoracic SCS. Chart review and structured phone interviews were performed to obtain follow-up. Of the two modalities, 3 patients (27%) had an IOP placed first and 8 patients (73%) had a SCS implanted initially. Mean follow-up was 41.7 months (3-97 months). All 11 patients (100%) stated that the dual-modality treatment improved their quality of life and all continue to use both an IOP and SCS for pain control. Six patients (55%) felt that the IOP provided superior pain relief as compared to the SCS, 4 patients (36%) felt that IOP and SCS provided a similar degree of pain relief, and 1 patient (9%) said the SCS provided better pain relief than the IOP. Nine patients (82%) claimed that dual-modality treatment improved their activities of daily living. Nine patients (82%) reported that the combination of IOP and SCS treatment had allowed them to significantly decrease their oral pain medication requirements. Seven patients (64%) had hardware-related complications which required surgery; of this group, 2 patients (18%) needed more than one operation. Six patients (55%) had minor postoperative complications, which were managed nonoperatively. Overall, 10 patients (91%) were glad that they had implantation of both an IOP and SCS and would recommend this combined therapy to other patients. Dual neuroaugmentative treatment with an IOP and thoracic SCS can be safely performed and may provide satisfactory pain relief in appropriately selected patients with FBSS.