Peripheral nerve field stimulation for intractable post-thoracotomy scar pain not relieved by conventional treatment.

Peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) is being applied in individual cases where conventional treatments have failed to control pain localized to limited dermatomal distribution. We applied PNFS for unrelieved post-thoracotomy scar pain. Although spinal cord stimulation may have resulted in good coverage in the same dermatomal distribution, we chose the more peripheral approach to minimize the risk of complications, avoiding the potential neurologic sequelae associated with stimulation of the spinal cord. In summary, PNFS was effective in relieving post-thoractomy pain refractory to conventional pain management suggesting great potential of PNFS as a treatment option for chronic surgical-scar pain.