Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41926493›Full record

ReviewJournal of pain research2026

The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) Evidence-Based Consensus Recommendations on Programming and Coding Implantable Spinal Cord Stimulation Devices for Treatment of Chronic Intractable Pain.

Timothy R Deer, Ali Nairizi, Corey W Hunter, Hemant Kalia, Jason E Pope, Eric G Cornidez, Dawood Sayed, Gregory L Smith, Johnathan H Goree, Ajay B Antony and 13 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of pain research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

23 authors.

Timothy R DeerThe Spine and Nerve Center of the Virginias, Charleston, WV, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8907-7730
Ali NairiziReno Tahoe Pain Associates, Reno, NV, USA.
Corey W HunterAinsworth Institute of Pain Management, New York City, NY, USA.
Hemant KaliaCenter for Research and Innovation in Spine & Pain, Rochester, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9033-9080
Jason E PopeEvolve Restorative Center, Santa Rosa, CA, USA.
Eric G CornidezPain Institute of Southern Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Dawood SayedDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8867-2140
Gregory L SmithDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4595-9149
Johnathan H GoreeDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0548-852X
Ajay B AntonyThe Orthopaedic Institute, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Peter S StaatsNational Spine and Pain Centers, Atlantic Beach, FL, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4079-5165
Christopher GilliganRobert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4769-9907
Marcin KarczThe Spine and Nerve Center of the Virginias, Charleston, WV, USA.ORCID 0009-0007-6849-1757
Drew TrainorDenver Spine and Pain Institute, Denver, CO, USA.
Mustafa Y BroachwalaDepartment of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Dustin ReynoldsOrthoNeuro, Columbus, OH, USA.
Andrew BloomfieldComprehensive Spine Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7466-7372
Chau M VuEvolve Restorative Center, Santa Rosa, CA, USA.ORCID 0009-0009-9488-1550
Shivanand P LadDepartment of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Robert TrainerHunter Holmes McGuire VAMC, Richmond, VA, USA.
Carla MonacelliJD Lymon Group, Mendota Heights, MN, USA.
Jolayne DeversJD Lymon Group, Mendota Heights, MN, USA.
Erika A PetersenDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8548-1450

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The evolution of Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) from simple bipolar programming to sophisticated physiologic closed-loop technology has introduced significant complexity into programming and associated reimbursement coding and billing. To address these challenges, the American Society for Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) developed this evidence-based consensus document to establish best practices for integrating advanced SCS programming into clinical workflows. Materials and Methods: A US-based expert panel in neuromodulation convened to develop consensus recommendations for traditional and modern complex programming. No international experts in neuromodulation participated in this exercise. This process informed the development of a framework that combines technological advances with improved clinical decision-making and creation of customized care plans for chronic pain patients. Results: Complex programming is defined as the adjustment of more than three stimulation parameters. However, innovations like Evoked Compound Action Potential (ECAP) dose-controlled closed-loop SCS technology provide objective neurophysiological data requiring additional physician engagement and clinical decision-making in the programming process. Objective data provide additional documentation, and when combined with traditional subjective data it ensures that clinical decisions are evidence-based and well-documented in patients' medical history. This article reviews Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and billing processes, offering clear recommendations on billing for complex programming. The framework aims to ensure that reimbursement models accurately reflect the time, resources, and expertise required for modern SCS programming while complying with coding and billing regulations. Conclusion: Current billing and reimbursement structures must be refined to recognize the additional diagnostic and therapeutic value provided by ECAP dose-controlled closed-loop therapy neural metrics. The incorporation of ECAP dose-controlled closed-loop SCS technology into routine clinical care has the potential to improve patient outcomes through comprehensive physician-led programming. This in turn will reduce the burden of chronic pain on the healthcare system by minimizing unnecessary reprogramming and emergency room visits.

Indexed as

chronic painclosed-loopECAPSCS programmingspinal cord stimulation

Identifiers

PMID41926493
PMCPMC12790904

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.