Abstract
The traditional percutaneous placement of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) electrodes may not be eligible for every patient. In this tertiary spine surgery and interventional pain therapy center, alternative neurostimulation implantation techniques were developed and applied where standard percutaneous approaches failed or were contraindicated.
Three alternative implantation techniques can be used: (1) open surgical placement of DRG leads, (2) two-lead insertion via a lateral to medial transforaminal approach (level L3), and (3) percutaneous approach with two leads close to the spinal nerves L4 (peripheral nerve stimulation).
The placement of the leads occurred without complications and resulted in similar expected outcomes as with the common percutaneous technique with long-term stable pain suppression at 7 months and 1 year.
In patients in whom the DRG cannot be approached by the standard percutaneous approach, at least three alternatives may be used in experienced hands resulting in stable pain suppression of similar magnitude.