Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Anterior Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain is a common disease state that affects millions of people globally. Unlike other painful areas of the body, pain in the abdomen can be visceral or somatic, and even further, with vicerosomatic convergence, the presentation can be very complex. Many patients suffer from pain of the anterior abdominal wall after surgical procedures, such as hernia repairs, cesarean sections, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, bowel surgeries, and from chronic conditions, such as endometriosis. Furthermore, after multiple abdominal surgeries, adhesions may form within the tissues of the abdominal wall leading to localized neuropathic pain. This neuropathic pain is secondary to nerve entrapment or direct nerve trauma. Treatment of such painful conditions is often difficult and complex. Recently, transversus abdominis plane blocks with local anesthetic have been utilized to treat such painful conditions. This method, although often efficacious temporarily, is not seen as a long-term solution in most cases. More definitive pain relief of anterior abdominal pain may be achieved by implantation of a neurostimulator.