Subcutaneous Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation for Intractable Pain

Abstract Peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) has become known as a safe, effective, and reversible alternative for pain management for many refractory pain conditions, including chronic low back pain (CLBP). Moreover, the simultaneous use of combined PNFS and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in patients with CLBP, with or without leg pain, appears to increase the efficacy of both methods for relieving axial back pain and results in greater patient satisfaction than occurs from SCS or PNFS alone. PNFS may be a worthwhile treatment option for patients with a variety of chronic pain conditions who fail to respond to conservative treatments and want to opt for a less-invasive surgical procedure. In this chapter, we review procedural detail of PNFS and the results of published studies to provide an overview and update on PNFS.