A Case Report of Successful High-Frequency 10-kHz Spinal Cord Stimulator Trial in a Patient with Refractory Thoracic Postherpetic Neuralgia

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord stimulation can be an effective treatment modality in patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia who have failed first-line pharmacotherapy and continue to struggle from debilitating pain. Appropriate patient selection and having a wide array of stimulation waveforms can enhance the success of spinal cord stimulator trials. Case Report: In this article, we present a case report of a patient suffering from refractory thoracic postherpetic neuralgia who underwent a successful high-frequency 10-kHz spinal cord stimulator trial. Lead tips were successfully placed at the midline and left paramedial side of the top of T1 vertebral bodies at the source of the pain. The patient was followed up in our clinic 7 days post procedure. At the time of follow-up, our patient reported an 85% to 90% reduction in his pain symptom scores and a significant improvement in his quality of life. Conclusion: Similar successful trials for postherpetic neuralgia have been reported in small studies using traditional low-frequency stimulation waveforms. However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of a successful spinal cord stimulator trial using high-density 10 kHz. Key words: Postherpetic neuralgia, high-frequency spinal cord stimulator, acute herpes zoster