Case Report: Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome

Spine & Nerve

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast Drs. Nicolas Karvelas and Brian Joves discuss a clinical case regarding a patient with Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome (PSPS). To review, PSPS is not a single diagnosis, but rather an encompassing term that includes persistent painful disease with spinal origin. This disease can be linked to the predisposition of the human spine to develop painful pathology over time. The distribution of the symptoms in PSPS can be axial and/or radicular, and although commonly involves the lumbosacral spine, the cervical, and thoracic spine can also be the site of pathology. Importantly, spinal surgery may or may not have occurred, and may or may not be the primary contributor.

Listen as the doctors talk through this clinical scenario of a gentleman in his 50s with PSPS and discuss treatment options including neuromodulation, specifically in this case Differential Target Multiplexed spinal cord stimulation (DTM SCS). DTM SCS targets not only neurons, but also glial cells (all forms of SCS most likely impact glial cells to some degree, however DTM SCS specifically works to optimize the neuromodulation of glial cells). Glial cells include oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes in the central nervous system; as well as Schwann cells and satellite glial cells in the periphery. All of these cells play critical roles in essential functions which include, but are not limited to regulation of fluid and ion homeostasis, protection of neurons, and creation and maintenance of blood-brain barrier. When glial cells are pathologically, chronically, and abnormally activated they play a critical role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain disease processes. In the setting of abnormal glial cell activity, the most common clinical manifestations for patients include pain sensitivity, fatigue, cognitive disruption, sleep disorders, and mood disorders. For a deeper dive specifically into glial cells, please see our prior conversation (https://anchor.fm/spine/episodes/Glial-cells--glial-cells--glial-cells----The-pain-cascade--modulation--and-chronic-pain-e5fb38) including a discussion with Dr. Ricardo Vallejo (https://anchor.fm/spine/episodes/More-glial-cells---Dr--Ricardo-Vallejo--science-that-matters--and-thinking-beyond-the-neuron-eb4m4i). And please listen to the conversation with Dr. Michael Fishman for a deeper dive on this study (https://anchor.fm/spine/episodes/Profound-Data-with-Dr--Michael-Fishman-elmp3f).

This podcast is for information and educational purposes only, it is not meant to be medical or career advice. If anything discussed may pertain to you, please seek council with your healthcare provider. The views expressed are those of the individuals expressing them, the may not represent the views of Spine & Nerve.

References:

1. Fishman M, Cordner H, Justiz R, Provenzano D, Merrell C, Shah B, Naranjo J, Kim P, Calodney A, Carlson J, Bundschu R, Sanapati M, Mangal V, Vallejo R. Twelve-Month results from multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial comparing differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation and traditional spinal cord stimulation in subjects with chronic intractable back pain and leg pain. Pain Pract. 2021 Aug 7.

2. Vallejo R, Kelley CA, Gupta A, Smith WJ, Vallejo A, Cedeño DL. Modulation of neuroglial interactions using differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation in an animal model of neuropathic pain. Mol Pain. 2020 Jan-Dec;16:1744806920918057. doi: 10.1177/1744806920918057. PMID: 32290778; PMCID: PMC7160773.