I love my Boston Scientific SCS. I am still tweaking my programs, having this baby has given me so much already I can’t begin to grasp all the possibilities. I named my implant Igor. It is pronounced ‘eye-gor’, in deference to Marty Feldman’s role in “Young Frankenstein”. You see, I have this little hump on my back now . Sometimes I misplace my remote until my wife yells, “I found Igor!” and returns it to my loving hands.

As far as SCS infections:
I found a report on SCS infections on the web when I got an infection 10 days post implant. If I can find the report I will post it here. During the trial most infections occur AFTER 3 days, so only do the trial for 3 days OR take pre-emptive antibiotics. Following the real SCS implant, the most likely time for an infection is 10 days. The most likely bacteria for both cases is s.aureus, a fairly common bacteria that might not require antibiotics under normal circumstances because your immune system should handle it, but invading the spinal column’s fluid has risks that must be prevented ASAP. The bacteria I had after 10 days was found to be s.aureus. Because that bacteria is so common for SCS patients, I suspect that if the SCS companies investigated infected patients they would find an obvious flaw in the sterilization of the SCS in the factory or during implant.

The SCS trials last 5 to 7 days. The doctors listen to the SCS salesman who want the trial for that timeframe to make sure the patient will keep the SCS. As strange as it may seem to a person who has an SCS and is thrilled with it, some people look at their SCS as an invading monster, get freaked out, and want it the thing removed. That’s costly for the manufacturer (no ‘legal’ restocking fee), so they want the patient to test it longer than I think is needed.

I would not recommend having the Medtronic for the implant. The Medtronic for the trial might be OK. The trial and the implant are different anyway. The Medtronic has significant problems, like battery leakage inside the patient, device twisting around inside the patient, and broken leads. SCS ‘spam’ complaints on the web are sometimes from competing salesmen from other manufacturers, very sleazy, but if you google and read enough complaints you will become aware of completely identical postings all over the web with minor differences in dates or areas of the country; those SOBs should be sentenced to prisons where they don’t allow Vaseline for inmates . I spent days researching which SCS I wanted. Boston Scientific (can’t use their initials ) is by far the best SCS for now, but newer and smaller SCS devices are coming to market. I am not affiliated with Boston Scientific or any other SCS company, I am a medically experienced severely Disabled Veteran. I am “medically experienced” because I spent more than one year as a patient in various military hospitals, so I had to learn. I spent a huge amount of time investigating which SCS was best FOR THIS MOMENT for me. When my wife is ready for her SCS I will spend days investigating what is best AT THAT TIME for her. I WILL NOT tell her to get a Boston Scientific SCS just because I did.

You may not be able to get your current doctor to use the device you want (they get a percentage $$), but you can change to a doctor who will!

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions about my SCS experience.
Andy