A Systematic Review of Gastrointestinal Changes Related to Spinal Cord Stimulation.
Haiyue Jin, Arthur W Cowman, Ramanjit Singh et al.
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From the abstract
Although spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an established neuromodulatory therapy for chronic pain, its gastrointestinal (GI) effects beyond analgesia remain poorly characterized. This study synthesized the current evidence describing nonpain GI changes associated with permanent SCS implantation.
Reported results
Overall, 21 studies comprising 143 patients were included, predominantly comprising case reports/series, along with two retrospective cohort studies, two prospective single-arm studies, and one randomized cross-over pilot trial. Most SCS implantations were performed for abdominal or visceral pain (88.8%). Thoracic lead placement was most common (69.2%), and 10-kHz stimulation was the predominant paradigm (46.2%).
Authors' conclusions
GI changes have been identified with SCS use, most commonly improvements in nausea and bowel function, although adverse effects have been reported. Current evidence remains limited by heterogeneity and low certainty, highlighting the need for controlled studies with standardized GI outcome measures.