Efficacy of Spinal Cord Stimulation for Central Post-Stroke Pain

Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is a neuropathic-type of pain that affects about 1-8% of patients after stroke (Andersen et al., 1995; Bowsher 1993), and is characterized by pain and sensory dysfunction involving the area of the body that has been affected by the stroke (Leijon et al., 1998). Once present, CPSP rarely abates, causing a considerable long-term impact on patient’s quality of life (Wider & Ahlstrom, 2002). The first line of treatment for CPSP is usually tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline or antiepileptic gabapentine. However, these drugs are often ineffective or cause intolerable side effects; including dry mouth, urinary retention, arrhythmias, and sedation; especially in elderly stroke patients (Finnerup et al., 2005).