Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39435724›Full record

ArticlePain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain2025

Preventing technique-related complications in spinal cord stimulation trials: The Dural Substitute Confetti technique. A retrospective monocentric analysis.

Alessandro Dario, Luca Ferlendis, Bianca Bossi, Davide Locatelli

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Alessandro DarioDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7849-7457
Luca FerlendisDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9287-5239
Bianca BossiDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.
Davide LocatelliDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) is an established therapy for chronic pain, employing screening trials to identify suitable candidates before implantation. However, complications arising from both technique and medical factors present challenges to this practice. This study introduces the Dural Substitute Confetti technique, which addresses technique-related complications during SCS implantation by preventing scar-induced lead migration or breakage and reducing operating times.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis on 174 patients treated with SCS trials from 2017 to 2022 at our institution. Of these, 85.1% proceeded to permanent implantation. During trial surgery, synthetic dural substitutes (DS) were used to protect leads, which remained connected to an external pulse generator (EPG) for 20-28 days (mean 21.4 days). Utilizing the DS Confetti technique, leads were easily dissected from the DS during the second surgery and connected to an internal pulse generator (IPG). We compared complications and surgical times before and after the introduction of this technique in 2017.

resultsFollowing the complete SCS trial, patients experienced over 50% pain relief, with an implant-to-trial ratio of 85.1% and a mean follow-up of 52 months. No technique-related complications occurred during the trial period post-2017, while the pre-2017 group had a 3.9% lead migration rate due to scarring, necessitating re-implantation. The average surgery duration decreased from 54 min pre-2017 to 32 min post-2017. Medical-related complications included infections (2.1%) and wound dehiscence (1.3%).

conclusionsThe DS Confetti technique prevents scar adhesion formation during screening trials, thereby facilitating and expediting the definitive SCS implantation. Additionally, it may also reduce the risk of lead migration and iatrogenic damage, potentially lowering technique-related complications.

Indexed as

Spinal Cord StimulationAdultAgedChronic PainFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsRetrospective Studiescomplicationsdural substitutespinal cord stimulationtechniquetrials

Identifiers

PMID39435724
PMCPMC11683514

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.