Spinal cord stimulation in chronic pain syndromes.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used for more than 30 years now, and although it has shown to be effective under certain well-described conditions of chronic pain, conclusive evidence on its effectiveness is still sparse. There is a need for more prospective and methodological good studies, in order to prove SCS efficacy for new or still questionable indications and to reveal prognostic factors for successful application. Especially at this moment, when governments are trying to control and reduce their health care expenses, studies on the cost-effectiveness of SCS are important. In contrast to the early years when SCS was applied by independent physicians exploring the field of neurostimulation, the importance of information exchange and coordination of studies has now been recognized. Recent technical improvements of SCS devices may positively influence clinical outcome.