Electrodes not working?
 

Hi gang - It's been 19 months since my implant surgery - and I would definitely recommend a TLSO brace to folks to wear that first 3 months. I've seen 6? reps with "tweaking" my settings over time and every one said they would recommend it - if the patient asked them. How about that - they don't volunteer that information. It is up to the surgeon to mention it.

After having my SCS for 15 months I did a severe twisting motion to get out of the back of our mini-van, where I travel in the back on a mattress for the 10-12 hour drive to go see our grandchildren(!). Now I have done this motion at 5 months post-op, and a couple of times already this trip. But something changed - I thought my leads had moved. I could barely feel sensation in all 4 programs unless I turned it up REALLY high. I saw a rep, who found one of the electrodes was no longer working. He programmed around it, but over the last several months two more shut down, right next to the first. I am still getting good sensation where I need it, but the rep seemed very unsure as to what was going on. He just said we'll see how things go. Boy, that's scary. Any thoughts?

Oh my......
 

That seems reminiscent of RRae, who, being a good Totoland horse lover, decided one day to toss a bale of hay...... now that is a good one for giving the old SCS a try for flexibility. Anyway, it seems after she noticed one lead was no longer providing coverage, a followup xray disclosed the particular lead had migrated down in an upside down U fashion, the reason for its loss of effectiveness. This is partly why my family is VERY protective of my anymore, I reckon......

Yup...... maybe check with Doc about your facts and ask whether an xray is in your future..... :hug:

oh crap
 

So sorry...dang we get better...feel like we can live again with our restrictions and wham!!!
We are so fragile and yet want to just get out and live.

It does sound like x-rays are needed.

keep us posted
Johanna

We have had essentially the same thing happen. Three times now in 18 months. The rep says 4 of the 8 electrodes are still working, the other four are not. The cause: "probably" the lead has moved. No x-ray yet, but "probably next time." There has been no mention of surgery to correct it, although I expect that will be the case in the near future.

Not at all what you (or I) wanted to hear.

x-ray
 

I would insist on x-rays.
The rep should tell you (or ask the doc for) an xray even if he is limited to what he can say.

Go get those xrays....the only way they can see what is inside!!!!

HB

....guilty as charged....
 

IT WAS THE HORSE'S FAULT!! :deadhorsebeat:

Hi Silverback! :Wave-Hello: It's great to see you back!

Rae

I have two contact leads (on the paddle) that aren't working anymore also. I've only had my unit a year and a month. Seems they shouldn't be losing them that quickly. My rep programmed around mine, too. Only one of my programs was using the faulty contact, but still. I have two. How long until the other one starts screwing up? It seems this is a common problem. I assume it's just due to a foreign object in the body.

I AM SO SORRY
BOY, THAT'S SCARY FOR SURE
one thing i have been paying attention to is during trial
things seem to go great
it is when a person gets the permanent ones that are problematic
does anyone else notice this

someone who cares

dear friend

your """"""""' 's so well received
somethings seem very strange

someone who cares

If you have ongoing issues, get paddle leads. They can stitch them to dura. Ain't going nowhere.

Hey MD! I had a revision on my thoracic SCS five months after initial implant. They switched to paddle leads and now they have migrated too! Sounds like my doc didn't stitch them down very well :confused:

Bummer
 

IMHO, you need the best of the best for this thing to work. My trial with percs was awesome and then one of the most experienced implanters blew my perm. with percs. Rescued with a paddle by a different doc, but it was a big deal for the neurosurgeon to get through all of my epidural scarring. My doc says he stitches to dura, so it won't move. I guess i scar like crazy, so now at 8 weeks it's embedded.

I have been revised - it sucks- i know! Why did your paddle move? Not stitched well? You don't scar as much? I dunno.

It is crucial to have the best doc. For paddles, get an experienced neurosurgeon who does them himself. Not one who assists a pain md. I endorse Jaimie Henderson at Stanford. Outstanding. Not a narcissist. Caring. A great doctor. I have worked with hundreds of surgeons. I know quality.

I don't know why my paddle leads moved? Good question! The paddle actually slip up, where the perc leads slid down?? I had the trial on my left side since they really couldn't do it everywhere...I needed upper and lower body coverage. It turned out to be a good thing because I could compare one side to the other. I had both cervical and thoracic SCS's implanted (perc leads) June 2011. Within a couple of months the thoracic leads migrated. Went in for the revision in Nov 2011, he also moved that battery to the front/side since it bothered me. They switched to the paddle leads and I found out right before the surgery, that I was the first in the state to get this type of lead so of course, it was the first for my dr. He completed his training for it the week before my surgery :eek: My dr is not a neurosurgeon.

I have been searching online, etc., for a new dr to do the next surgery. I have not decided whether to have a revision or get it all removed. When I turn either or both on, I get this awful pain in my lower back. It started with the first implant surgery.

I wish we could go somewhere else for treatment, but we cannot afford it...I stopped working 12/28/12 and my husband is going thru gov't furloughs. Wish you knew of a good dr in VA :)

I am glad yours is doing better now!!

dazed and confused?
 

This has me a bit confused (but what else is new :rolleyes:)

It's been my understanding that 'all' percutaneous leads are stitched to the dura. There's a high rate of migration of leads because this isn't as 'concrete' of a method, so a lot of times the surgeon will switch to the paddles. The reason the paddle method has a lower rate of migration is because most paddle leads are inserted via the laminectomy procedure.

Nanc, did they do the laminectomy on you when they inserted your paddles? I can't remember.

I sure hope there is something that can be done Nanc, so you don't have to have your hardware taken out.
You've been thru so much.

Thanks,
Rae
:grouphug:

Hi Rae!!!

They did not do a laminectomy when they put in the paddle leads. They said the path was already there from placing the perc leads, so a laminectomy wasn't necessary. Dr did say they had a little trouble going in, but then the paddle just slid into place.

I am so up in the air about what to do. Both SCS's have helped a great deal, but not so much now. I want to find a new dr as I am pretty ticked off at my current PM dr...and he is the one who implanted the SCS's.

Nanc
:hug:

I totally understand. My SCS surgeon is very arrogant. One thing I have discovered is that sometimes these Dr's take it almost personally when things don't go right. It's like we are implying that their masterpiece work was less than incredible. That's not the case at all! We just want it fixed.
I even took the blame for when my lead migrated. Nonetheless, the narcissism (as MDinpain mentioned) in him seemed to put a wedge between us. Thankfully I don't really have to deal with him anymore.

I hope you will find a Dr who truly cares about your situation and YOU. You are always in my prayers my friend

Rae
:hug: