Percutaneous vs. paddle leads for spinal cord stimulation

The next INS Expert Panel discussion will focus on the subject of percutaneous vs. paddle leads for spinal cord stimulation. From 27 Oct. to 10 Nov., INS President Dr. Simon Thomson and Director-at-Large Dr. Konstantin Slavin will lead a discussion comparing minimally invasively placed cylindrical leads and neurosurgically placed laminectomy-type electrodes.

The topic was selected based on a publication by INS member Dr. Nandan Lad and co-authors in an Early View article in Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface about comparative costs and performance over time ("Outcomes of Percutaneous and Paddle Lead Implantation for Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Comparative Analysis of Complications, Reoperation Rates, and Health-Care Costs", DOI: 10.1111/ner.12065).

The authors conclude that long-term health-care costs of the two SCS lead types are similar, and improvements are needed to reduce the risk of reoperation due to hardware failure.

To participate, please visit the Members Only Area of the INS website, localhost/neuromodulation_save_2015-04-02, and log on using your username and password. More detail about the panel, and how to log on, is posted at http://www.neuromodulation.com/expert-panels.