Key result
BurstDR spinal cord stimulation achieves ~40% pain relief without triggering ICD malfunction or arrhythmia.
Why the study?
Spinal cord stimulation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices has been recognized as a relative contraindication.
Does BurstDR spinal cord stimulation safely reduce pain without causing device interference in a patient with a pre-existing permanent implantable cardioverter defibrillator?
Case Report (n=1)
No
Does BurstDR spinal cord stimulation safely reduce pain without causing device interference in a patient with a pre-existing permanent implantable cardioverter defibrillator?
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
This case report suggests that BurstDR spinal cord stimulation can provide meaningful pain relief (~40%) over 5 months without causing device interference or malfunction in a patient with a closely co-implanted permanent ICD.
Neuromodulation of the spinal cord (SCS) in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices has been recognized as a relative contraindication. We described a 71-year-old man who underwent single eight-contact electrode SCS implantation due to persistent spinal pain syndrome type II with a pre-existing permanent cardiac implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Importantly, the SCS was implanted close to the ICD system. Following a successful trial, a permanent system with an Abbott Proclaim implantable pulse generator was implanted and programmed predominantly in BurstDR mode. At five months, the patient showed a ~40% reduction in pain. The IPG data demonstrated a cumulative 3358-hour usage of the mixed stimulation SCS system, of which BurstDR accounted for roughly 75% and tonic stimulation for 25%. No cardiac rhythm disturbance, defibrillator activation, or ICD malfunction has been observed. In this report, we demonstrated the five-month BurstDR SCS in a patient with a co-implanted ICD at close inter-device proximity.
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Tashlykov et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Persistent spinal pain syndrome type II with a pre-existing permanent cardiac implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) (n=1). BurstDR spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with an Abbott Proclaim implantable pulse generator and single eight-contact electrode was evaluated on Pain reduction and cardiac device safety (cardiac rhythm disturbance, defibrillator activation, or ICD malfunction). BurstDR spinal cord stimulation achieved a ~40% pain reduction at 5 months with 0 cardiac rhythm disturbances, defibrillator activations, or ICD malfunctions.
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