Study Design: Retrospective case series. Objective: We aim to examine complications associated with the removal of spinal cord stimulator electrodes for the first time in a large cohort of patients that included both paddle and cylindrical electrodes. Summary of Background Data: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a reversible treatment for many chronic pain syndromes that involves either open surgical placement of paddle electrodes or percutaneous placement of cylindrical leads. Potential complications associated with SCS removal are not well described in the literature. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 139 patients who underwent removal of spinal cord stimulator electrodes at our institution between 2014 and 2022. Results: Nine out of 139 patients (6.5%) experienced postoperative complications, 7 of which occurred in patients who underwent more extensive concurrent spine surgeries. A complication occurred in only two of the 82 patients (2.4%) who had removal of their electrodes as a standalone procedure. In all but one patient (0.7%), the electrodes were able to be removed in their entirety. Conclusions: Surgical removal of both cylindrical and paddle SCS electrodes as a standalone procedure is associated with a low rate of complications. Most observed complications occurred in patients who underwent concurrent spinal surgery and were likely attributable to those additional procedures rather than electrode removal itself.
Miller et al. (2025) studied this question.