Long-term pain control and reduced opioid use through novel selection criteria for peripheral nerve and motor cortex stimulation.

Objective: Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) and motor cortex stimulation (MCS) for medically refractory neuropathic facial pain offer an alternative to traditional surgical approaches and therapeutic techniques. Many existing studies lack large sample sizes, long-term follow-up, or clear patient selection guidelines, making well-defined outcomes variable. The objective of this cohort study was to present a large series of patients with PNS or MCS and long-term outcomes and propose an algorithm for determining which surgical technique to use according to patient histories and physical examinations.

Methods: Thirty-three consecutive cases of trial and permanent placement of PNS and MCS electrodes by two surgeons at a single site from January 2013 through March 2023 were retrospectively reviewed from a prospectively collected database to assess pain coverage and surgical outcomes. The average length of follow-up for this cohort was 30.12 (range 2-104) months.

Results: Of those who reported at least good reduction of pain at trial (≥ 50% reduction), 80.0% of PNS and 72.7% of MCS patients experienced good (50%-74% pain relief) or excellent (75%-100% pain relief) coverage for 6 months or longer. Sixty-two percent of presurgical opioid users switched to nonopioid medications or no medication following surgery. Fifty-seven percent of patients proceeded with end-of-life implantable pulse generator revision given their continued pain relief.

Conclusions: Careful consideration of patient eligibility for PNS and MCS based on pain distribution and quality results in better overall outcomes, decreased opioid use, and long-term device usage in patients with neuropathic head and facial pain seeking surgical intervention.