Xiang-Ling Huanga,b, Yu-Chen Chena,c, Chang-Chih Kuod*, Sheng-Tzung Tsaia,e*
aDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, bDepartment of Nursing, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Tawian, cDepartment of Medical Informatics, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, dDepartment of Physiology and Master Program in Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, eSchool of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
Open Access funded by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system injury that can cause sensory or motor dysfunction. Although mortality rates for people with spinal cord injuries have dropped dramatically with advances in medicine, chronic long-term sequelae after SCI persist. The most bothersome problems reported by patients include pain, spasticity, urinary dysfunction, and loss of motor function. Thus, quality of life (QoL) is an essential issue in chronic SCI. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) applies an adjustable, nondamaging electrical pulse that can reduce uncomfortable comorbidities and improve mobility, thus enhancing the QoL of patients with SCI. This review summarizes pivotal breakthroughs from SCS for individual clinical impairment from SCI. We conclude that careful evaluation of SCS can help improve neuropathic pain, spasms, motor symptoms, and voiding dysfunction in patients with SCI, thus improving QoL.
Keywords: Quality of life, Spinal cord injury, Spinal cord stimulationstimulation
