Feasibility of combined epicranial temporal and occipital neurostimulation: treatment of a challenging case of headache.

BACKGROUND

Evidence of a paradigm shift towards epicranial neurostimulation treatment techniques aimed at the site of headache pain is beginning to populate the literature. This is most apparent by 2 recently published reports describing alternative approaches to peripheral nerve stimulation techniques for refractory migraine, including hemiplegic migraine.

OBJECTIVES

To contribute to the emerging literature on epicranial-based neuroaugmentative approaches which target site-specific areas of distinct, but relatively diffuse, headache pain. Specifically, we describe the feasibility of a novel neurostimulation technique: occipital nerve stimulation, combined with bilateral subcutaneous electrical stimulation over the temporal region, to treat a patient dually diagnosed with "complicated migraine" and occipital neuralgia. Integral to this report, key stimulation programming data are also presented to better distinguish the role of this form of therapy in migraine, or other headache forms, from both the clinical and biomedical perspectives.

METHODS

Case presentation with literature review.

RESULTS

At 24-month follow-up, headache onset had been reduced by more than 50%, including cessation of neurologic deficits that accompanied the patient's migraines. No complications or adverse side effects are reported. The programming data reported here supports a proposed mechanism of action concerning stimulation of the auriculotemporal nerve distribution/anterior temporal region for management of refractory pain in migraine.

LIMITATIONS

Case presentation provides only initial assessment of treatment safety, not conclusive evidence of treatment effectiveness. Future studies which consider "follow-the-path" epicranial approaches to peripheral nerve stimulation techniques for refractory headache pain are needed to better quantify outcomes and mechanisms of action.

CONCLUSIONS

In the single case reported here, the feasibility of a novel neurostimulation technique (occipital nerve stimulation/bilateral subcutaneous temporal region stimulation) to treat headache is presented. At the 24-month follow-up, no complications (such as loss of coverage due to lead displacement or lead fracture or erosion) or adverse side effects were reported. Finally, inclusion of fundamental programming data in reports on neuroaugmentative approaches to headache care will complement initiatives in research from the clinical and biomedical communities involved in this field.