SCS or DRG

[pne2010]

Which is better and why? I've received conflicting answers from a number of doctors.

[whimsicalwillow]

following

[Balenul]

following

Drg is better for Pn from what i read.much better if is used good

[bartland]

Everything I've read says that DRG has a much higher success rate. Sadly it appears that many more doctors do SCS, but it is much harder to find those who do DRG. (especially in-network for marketplace insurance)

[Violet M]

You can do a search on Kit's posts on this forum -- he had success with a DRG neurostimulator. You can read Amanda's experience with SCS using retrograde approach from Dr. Van Buyten in Belgium. I think there are some US doctors who do them too.

Violet

[Sk8rcruz]

I’ve had a DRG since December 2018. It was successful reducing continuous, sharp, tortuous pain. Then I was able to address the secondary issue of pelvic muscle dysfunction with much better results. My DRG leads are placed at L1 and S2. The L1 lead requires many loops to connect the lead to the battery. The DRG conduction wire is very delicate and the conduit is not necessarily designed to withstand multiple loops, I hear Abbott is designing a better conduit but it is years out.

I have had the L1 lead replaced due to a partial break in the wire 3 times. The straighter route of the S2 lead has not malfunctioned at all. The plan for if/when the L1 lead breaks again is to leave the S2 DRG battery and lead in place and place a second SCS for L1, an SCS that has a more durable lead wire. The trade off is that available SCS does not provide as much relief as DRG. My surgeon has made the loops bigger each time to minimize stress on the lead but here I am waiting for X-ray again because my pain relief has dropped off drastically over the last 2 weeks. The DRG relief is incredible tho. I would have surgery every year if necessary to maintain the quality of life improvement.

Note: Even with the DRG I still cannot sit at all. For short drives I use a twin cheeks cushion with ice packs in my Honda Element, acquired specifically because the seat is flat, not formed or tilted. Any pressure on the nerve still causes flare ups and pelvic muscle spasms. I not longer use a rollator and can walk on uneven surfaces without delayed onset pain as long as I don’t overdo it. The point is that expectations are different for everybody.

[Violet M]

The DRG relief is incredible tho. I would have surgery every year if necessary to maintain the quality of life improvement.

Glad to hear you are getting significant pain relief. Thanks for the detailed explanation on the DRG.

Violet