Open AccessPeripheral nerve stimulation for the management of acute and subacute post-amputation pain: a randomized, controlled feasibility trial
Author(s) -
Brooke Albright-Trainer,
Thomas Phan,
Robert Trainer,
Nathan D. Crosby,
Douglas P. Murphy,
Peter Disalvo,
Michael Amendola,
Denise Lester
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
pain management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1758-1877
pISSN - 1758-1869
DOI - 10.2217/pmt-2021-0087
Subject(s) - medicine , amputation , phantom pain , phantom limb , anesthesia , randomized controlled trial , narcotic , opioid , analgesic , transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation , chronic pain , percutaneous , surgery , physical therapy , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology
& aim: Temporary (60-day) percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) has demonstrated effectiveness for the treatment of chronic post-amputation pain, and this pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility of temporary percutaneous PNS for the treatment of acute post-amputation pain. Patients & methods: Sixteen veterans undergoing lower extremity amputation received PNS and standard medical therapy or standard medical therapy alone. Results: The PNS group reported greater reductions in average phantom limb pain, residual limb pain and daily opioid consumption, and there were fewer participants taking opioids through 3 months post-amputation. Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that PNS is feasible in the acute postoperative period following lower limb amputation and may provide a non-pharmacologic analgesic therapy that lowers pain scores and reduces opioid consumption, and thus warrants further investigation.