A new study published in Anesthesiology found high-frequency spinal cord stimulation is more effective than low-frequency spinal cord stimulation.
Here are five points:
1. The study examined 171 patients with chronic leg or back pain who had SCS implants. Ninety of these patients experienced HF10 treatment and 81 received traditional SCS treatment.
2. The high-frequency SCS produced almost twice the effectiveness for chronic back and leg patients than low-frequency SCS.
3. High-frequency SCS operates by sending pulses of 10,000 Hz in comparison to low frequency SCS which sends pulses of 40 to 60 Hz.
4. After a three month period, 85 percent of HF10 back patients and 83 percent of HF10 leg patients recorded a 50 percent or higher decrease in pain. Only 44 percent of back patients and 56 percent of leg patients in the traditional SCS recorded a 50 percent of higher decrease in pain.
5. Researchers found that 55 percent of the HF10 treatment patients were satisfied, and 32 percent of the traditional SCS treatment patients were satisfied.