Purpose of Technology

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) involves the electrical stimulation of spinal nerves using electrodes implanted in the epidural space of the spinal column. The goal of SCS is to suppress pain in specific areas for patients with a variety of chronic pain disorders, including chronic, refractory, neuropathic pain.

Questions addressed in this report include:

• Does SCS provide effective relief of FBSS or CRPS, and how does it compare with other methods of neuropathic pain relief?
• What impact does SCS have on the quality of life (QOL) for patients with neuropathic pain?
• Is SCS therapy for the treatment of neuropathic pain safe?
• Have definitive patient selection criteria been established for the use of SCS for the relief of neuropathic pain?

These questions provide a framework for review and synthesis of the best available evidence, which is presented in this report, along with the Hayes Ratings for the technology. This report also provides background information about the condition being treated, a description of the technology, and the context for development of the technology. Other key elements addressed in the report include the regulatory status; applicable Medicare and commercial payer coverage policies; relevant ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes; cost and cost effectiveness; credentialing; hospital length of stay; need for large case management; and ongoing and future clinical trials of the technology.

Posted in Directory Reports
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 8:00 am.