Spinal cord stimulation for intractable post-thoracotomy pain syndrome: A case report.

Post-thoracotomy syndrome is a condition characterized by pain that continues for more than 2 months after a thoracotomic procedure. Some patients suffer from devastating chest pain despite receiving multimodal treatment such as analgesics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and nerve blockers. Spinal cord stimulation has been reported to be a promising relief for the intractable neuropathic pain. A 60-year-old man who had been suffering from post-thoracotomy pain for 20 years showed relief of pain after spinal cord stimulation. Spinal cord stimulation thus seems to be a viable option for patients who do not respond to conventional pain management therapy.