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Pain from spinal cord stimulator anchor hardware
I had a lumbar spinal cord stimulator implanted about 6 months ago. It's working reasonably well to help manage my low back pain. My biggest complaint is the hardware that anchors the leads and keeps them from migrating. The anchors sit over my spinal column and resulted in a raised scar. This is painful at times, especially when sitting in chairs with no back padding. They seem to have also changed the curvature of my spine somewhat, which negatively impacts my posture.
There are some surgical options to reposition the anchors or replace the leads with paddles, which don't require anchors. But both surgical options are pretty involved and would require another lengthy recovery.
I didn't even know this was a potential negative outcome risk until I did some research and found this impacts about 5% of SCS implant patients. In my case it's apparently more of an issue because I'm thin (BMI = 20.8). Is anyone else struggling with anchor pain from their SCS implant?
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I am not sure if I'm talking about the same thing but I had a pain stimulator put in my spine I don't think it's attached to the spine by archers it just floats above the spine It doesn't bother me but the battery that its attaches to it is in my side underneath my skin and that is what bothers me, very, uncomfortable it stings sometimes and gets in the way of the waistband of my clothes. It lasted five years then had a new one put in that is supposed to last seven to ten years and it can be updated to new technology with a computer and I get it adjusted to my pain level in the office I have a remote to put it in the area I hurt the most.
Mine does too. I have a painful lump on my spine from the anchor. My leads have already migrated also. There is a FDA website that shows only the reported problems. Most of the problems are anchor issues. I found studies that state percutaneous lead migration is as high as 40%! No one told me that. I'm trying to find an arachnoiditis knowledgeable Dr in the Central Fl area, to possibly do the paddle type. It's proving impossible.