Through an expanded indication received in 2021, SPRINT® PNS is able to be used for the treatment of neck pain in an on-label manner. We sat down with Dr. Samir Sheth, board-certified anesthesiologist, interventional pain specialist and SPR consultant, and asked him to share his experience in the treatment of neck pain and stimulation of the cervical medial branch nerves using the SPRINT PNS System.
In your experience, what are the main causes of neck pain for your patients?
In the patients that I’m seeing, the main cause of neck pain is cervical spondylosis. Cervical spondylosis can occur with and without myelopathy which may or may not be the result of spinal cord damage. If the spine is stable, we’re able to treat the patients at our clinic but if it’s unstable, it would require surgical intervention and we will need to refer them to a surgeon. Another cause of neck pain is cervical discogenic pain but, in my experience, it’s less common.
What treatment options are available for patients with neck pain?
Currently, the treatment options for neck pain offered at my clinic include cervical facet injections, epidurals, cervical medial branch blocks, 60-day peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) with SPRINT PNS and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
What makes the SPRINT PNS System appealing for the treatment of neck pain?
For my patients, SPRINT PNS offers a minimally invasive, low-risk option without a dependence on drugs or invasive surgeries. In addition, for patients who have heart disease and are on blood thinners or have other comorbidities, I’ve used SPRINT PNS as I don’t take them off their other medications. Due to the risk-benefit standpoint, this is a treatment option that I’ve advocated for and told other physicians to try earlier in the pain treatment process as it can work prior to an alternative that’s potentially either non-reversible and/or destructive in nature.
The safety profile is another reason I like to present SPRINT PNS as a treatment option for neck pain. Serious adverse events are rare, and infections occur in only about 1-2% of patients. The most common adverse event is skin irritation from the adhesive components, with other less-reported events including itching at the electrode exit site, granuloma, and pain after electrode placement.
Tell us about your experience using SPRINT PNS for the treatment of neck pain.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve done many of these cases, and I’ve been very impressed with the amount of relief patients are experiencing. Many of my patients with cervical medial branch nerve stimulation have done so well—describing significant pain relief, and their medication use is down to almost zero. For me, that’s a significant win that we often do not discuss, because of the potential impact of chronic use of NSAIDs on their bodies.
When do you recommend considering the use of the SPRINT PNS System for patients who experience pain in their neck?
I like presenting a minimally invasive treatment like the SPRINT PNS System over RFA as early as possible. For my patients with axial neck pain or non-radicular axial neck pain, that means talking to a nurse practitioner about different treatment options, including SPRINT PNS, after one cervical medial branch block. It’s important to let patients know that they have a non-destructive, non-permanent and non-surgical treatment option with SPRINT PNS.
That said, patients need solid education on the system and its benefits. Because SPRINT PNS is a newer approach to neck pain, some patients can be initially resistant to it and opt for RFA instead. As a result, many neck pain patients are post-RFA, but with the kind of relief we’re seeing with SPRINT PNS, plus greater awareness, I think that will change soon.
Ultimately, in patients who have significant neck pain, I have very few reasons not to try the SPRINT PNS System because I’ve been very impressed with the relief I’ve seen so far. I am very excited to have opportunities to increase therapy awareness for this debilitating condition.
Contact us or your representative to learn more about treating neck pain with SPRINT PNS.
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