COMPLICATION AVOIDANCE AND REVISION SURGERY

Neuromodulation offers a reversible, low risk, and cost-effective treatment modality for select patients with chronic neuropathic pain refractory to conservative management and surgical approaches. While the indications for neuromodulation are broadening, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) remains the most well-established and most utilized modality of neuromodulation. Nearly four decades since its inception, the burgeoning arena of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been met with iterative advances in technique, technology, and efficacy. The authors describe the incidence, clinical manifestation, therapeutic approach, and avoidance of complications related to spinal cord stimulation. Understanding the complications of SCS is important not only for evaluating postoperative patients but also essential for avoiding therapy failure, advancing operative techniques, maximizing outcomes, and improving quality of life for patients.