Long-term Effect of Motor Cortex Stimulation in Patients Suffering From Chronic Neuropathic Pain

Inclusion Criteria: Patients were included between 2005 and 2013 when they suffered from chronic intractable pain and reported high levels of pain (VAS \> 5, measured three times daily during four days) and when the chronic neuropathic pain had showed to be intractable. Furthermore, on radiographic imaging techniques performed less than three years before inclusion for the implantation of MCS should show a possible conflict that might contribute to the pain. A multidisciplinary approach by the anesthesiologist-pain specialists, neurosurgeons, and clinical psychologists was chosen for the selection of patients. Exclusion Criteria: Patients with severe, current psychological problems (e.g., depression, high anxiety) or substance-abuse were excluded. Other exclusion criteria were the use of therapeutic anticoagulants, cognitive and/or psychiatric disorders in the medical history, nociceptive pain, an expected life expectancy less than 3 years due to other diseases (e.g., cancer), contra- indications for general anesthesia (e.g., severe cardio-pulmonal diseases), convulsive disorders and the presence of other neuromodulation systems.