SPRINT PNS; Post-surgical Knee Pain
Carin has a great sense of humor, but the pain in her knee after replacement surgery was no laughing matter. “I’ve had both knees replaced and my ankles fused. I’ve had both shoulders replaced — one of them twice — and back surgery in the ‘80s,” says Karen. The retired grandmother of seven has struggled with the effects of osteoarthritis for many years. “I’ve just had a lot of issues with my joints. It seems to run in my family.”
Sleepless and exhausted
Even though the knee replacement was supposed to fix Carin’s problems, she continued to struggle with pain. “My knees are strong. When you look at the x-rays, everything looks good. And the hardware in there is good, but in my left knee I have continued to have pain.”
The knee pain affected her ability to sleep and her quality of life. “It woke me up every night. It throbbed every time I moved,” recalls Carin. “I couldn’t do much during the day either; I just didn’t have the endurance; the pain just wore me out.”
Discovering SPRINT PNS
Carin’s pain specialist tried several approaches including prescription medications, injections and radiofrequency ablation, but nothing worked.
After she didn’t respond to these other treatments, her physician suggested trying the 60-day SPRINT PNS treatment for pain. “The doctor said, ‘there’s this new thing and I’d like you to try it.’ I was a little skeptical because I have just dealt with this pain for so many years, but I desperately wanted to try something different.”
Treatment — and relief — begins
Carin says the procedure to insert the leads was “not a big deal at all. It was a little weird as they put them in, but Dave, the SPRINT rep, was there and he was hilarious. The doctor also kept cracking jokes and it was really funny, which kept my mind off things. And afterwards, I didn’t have any issues with the treatment.”
For Carin the pain relief wasn’t immediate, but rather, it built over time. “It just kind of got a little bit better and a little bit better as the time went on. And by the time they took the leads out, I was not waking up at night anymore.
“Today, the only time I have pain is when I’ve been on my feet a lot. All I have to do is put a little ice on my knee and it’s good again.” And Carin is back to doing the things she loves, like gardening and bowling.
“We used to be in a league, but with my knee, I just couldn’t do it. After SPRINT, we went bowling for our grandson’s birthday and it was a lot of fun. I could do it without any pain. Don’t ask about my score, though. Let’s just say I didn’t break 100,” Carin says with a laugh.
The SPRINT PNS System is indicated for up to 60 days for: (i) Symptomatic relief of chronic, intractable pain, post-surgical and post-traumatic acute pain; (ii) Symptomatic relief of post-traumatic pain; and (iii) Symptomatic relief of post-operative pain. The SPRINT PNS System is not intended to be placed in the region innervated by the cranial and facial nerves.
Each patient’s testimonial is the result of each patient’s unique situation resulting in varying responses, experiences, risks, and outcomes to the SPRINT PNS System. The patient experiences shared on this page are not medical advice and should not be substituted for the independent medical judgment of a trained healthcare professional. Discuss your options and use of the SPRINT PNS System with your medical provider. Physicians should use their best judgment when deciding when to use the SPRINT PNS System. For more information see the SPRINT PNS System IFU.
Most common side effects are skin irritation and erythema. Results may vary. Rx only.
