Stimulation of the posterior columns of the spinal cord for relief of intractable pain

Sixty nine patients with chronically incapacitating pain were treated with an implantable stimulator over the posterior columns of the spinal cord. Evaluations at 24, 30 and 34 mth showed a progressive decrease in the number of patients considered to have an excellent result. Evaluation of 60 patients with pain of benign origin after implantation of the stimulating device showed only 10 patients who could be considered to have an excellent result on the basis of their own report of pain relief. The most common failure of the stimulating devices was failure of stimulation into a painful part.