Clinical outcomes of spinal cord stimulation in patients with intractable leg pain in Japan

Background Neuromodulation through spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a therapeutic option for relieving leg pain and improving the chances of limb salvage in patients with intractable chronic limb‐threatening ischemia (CLTI); however, there is no consensus on its indications. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcomes of SCS in patients with intractable leg pain caused by various diseases treated in the department of cardiovascular medicine in Japan. Methods This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent SCS for pain management. Patients were considered eligible for the therapy if they met the following criteria: (1) intractable leg pain (numerical rating scale [NRS] score of 10), (2) no revascularization option, and (3) no septicemia. Results Twenty patients (mean age: 77 years; men/women: 11/9) were included in this study. The NRS score of the patients significantly reduced from 10 ± 0 before procedure to 4 ± 3 at discharge (p