Risk Factors and Survival Analysis of Spinal Cord Stimulator Explantation.
Mark C DoughertyRoyce W WoodroffeSaul WilsonGeorge T GilliesMatthew A HowardRyan M CarnahanPublished in: Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society (2020)
In a cohort of SCS patients from multiple institutions, this study demonstrates that explantation for noninfectious reasons is more likely in younger patients, tobacco users, and those with certain psychiatric conditions. With an estimated 10% of patients opting to have their devices removed within 5 years of implantation, refining the ability of clinicians to predict who will see benefit from SCS treatment remains necessary.