Spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of refractory angina pectoris

AbstractAngina pectoris resulting from coronary artery disease and myocardial ischemia affects millions of patients worldwide. A significant number of patients suffer from intractable angina despite maximal pharmacological and surgical therapy. For this subset of patients, the treatment options are few and the condition extremely disabling. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has traditionally been employed for the treatment of a wide variety of painful conditions such as failed back surgery, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and nerve injury pain. Over the past decade, SCS has gained popularity as a potential therapy for patients with refractory angina for whom no other treatment options exist. Neurostimulation has proven to be effective in reducing the frequency of angina and nitrate consumption, increasing exercise tolerance, and generally improving the quality of life in these patients. SCS should be considered as a viable treatment in patients with intractable angina for whom no other treatment options exist.
Source: Critical Reviews in Neurosurgery - Category: Neurosurgery Source Type: research