The physicians monitor pain relief and adjust the pump to deliver the optimum amount of medication. About once every six weeks the holding tank must be refilled in Dr. Kahan's office. It is a relatively painless procedure that takes about 30 minutes. If the patient reports successful pain relief, a permanent electrode is implanted surgically. Patients should experience a 50-70 percent reduction in their pain and an increase in the ability to go about daily activities.
Patients report feeling a tingling sensation when the impulses are delivered that block the pain.
Pain medication taken orally floods the entire body with medication, which often makes patients feel confused or overly sedated. By delivering pain medication directly to the receptors in the spinal cord, a much lower dosage can relieve pain. For the permanent device, Dr. Sullivan implants a small neurostimulation system under the skin that sends mild electrical impulses to either the spinal cord or to a specific nerve. The electrical impulses are delivered through a lead, or wire, that also is surgically placed. The electrical impulses block the signal of pain from reaching the brain.