An Evidence-Based Consensus for the Use of Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Non-Surgical Low Back Pain: The NEURON Group
The use of electrical neuromodulation has often been limited to those with previous back surgery, peripheral neuropathy, and complex regional pain syndrome. Many patients with severe intractable low back pain were thought to be candidates for spinal cord stimulation (SCS), dorsal root ganglion stimulation, or peripheral nerve stimulation but did not meet the criteria. Recently, additional high-level data has supported the use of SCS in non-surgical low back pain (NSLBP), and United States Food and Drug Administration approval has been granted. The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) executive committee realized an unmet need to develop criteria for patient selection for this specific patient population. This is a NEURON project (neuroscience, education, utilization, risk mitigation, optimal outcomes, and neuromodulation), a living guideline for evolving therapies and indications, and is focused on the use of neuraxial stimulation for the treatment of refractory pain.