Editor-in-Chief: Alaa Abd-Elsayed, MD, PhD
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BACKGROUND: Spinal cord stimulation is a common treatment modality for chronic neuropathic pain. Device complications can include infection, hardware malfunction, and seroma formation.
CASE REPORT: A 78-year-old woman presented to the pain management clinic 20 years after spinal cord stimulator insertion with 6 months of pain and swelling around the stimulator insertion site. Aside from localized pain and swelling, the patient did not experience any neurological or musculoskeletal symptoms. A computed tomography scan revealed a large seroma around both the spinal cord stimulator and the extension wiring. The patient was referred to neurosurgery, where she underwent successful explant of the stimulator without further complication.
CONCLUSIONS: This case is an excellent example of complications that can occur with the extension wiring of spinal cord stimulators. Many physicians are aware of the complications that occur with the generator and electrodes, but extension wiring is a forgotten source of adverse outcomes.
KEY WORDS: Neuropathic pain, seroma, spinal cord stimulator
