Peripheral neuro-stimulation (PNS) has been proved to be effective for the treatment of neuropathic pain as well as other painful conditions. We discuss two approaches to PNS placement in the upper extremity. The first case describes a neuropathic syndrome after the traumatic amputation of the distal phalanx of the fifth digit secondary to a work accident with lack of responsiveness to a triple conservative therapy. An upper arm region approach for the PNS was chosen. The procedure had a favorable outcome; in fact, after one month the pain symptoms were absent (VAS 0) and the pharmacological therapy was suspended. The second case presented a patient affected by progressive CRPS type II in the sensory regions of the ulnar and median nerve in the hand, unresponsive to drug therapy. For this procedure, the PNS device was implanted in the forearm. Unfortunately, in this second case the migration of the catheter affected the effectiveness of the treatment. After examining the two cases in this paper, we changed our practice and suggest the implantation of PNS for radial, median and/or ulnar nerve stimulation in the upper arm region, which has significant advantages over the forearm region.

It is not uncommon for orthopedic patients to experience pain following a total knee replacement (TKR). Use of oral pain medications, nerve blocks, and periarticular injections are implemented to provide multimodal analgesia and to reduce postoperative chronic pain. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) can also be used to control pain in patients who are refractory to conservative measures. Few studies have explored this possibility for patients with chronic pain status post TKR. We present three cases that demonstrate the effectiveness of SCS in this challenging patient population.

Frozen shoulder is characterized by pain in the shoulder and limitation of glenohumeral movement. The underlying pathologic changes in frozen shoulder are synovial inflammation with subsequent reactive capsular fibrosis. Capsular fibrosis is the ultimate course of frozen shoulder suffering from various causes irrespectively. Therefore, adhesions that are affecting the joint movement must be released. Most important diagnostic method is thoughtful history taking and physical examination, and ultrasonography is very valuable device of diagnosis and treatment. Interventional microadhesiolysis and nerve stimulation (IMNS) is effective to manage frozen shoulder patients. IMNS for frozen shoulder is composed of three release approaches. These are (1) subacromial, (2) posterior inferior capsular, and (3) subdeltoidal & subcoracoidal release and round needle can be used for each release. We report this experiences and recommand this technique for the treatment of frozen shoulder patients.

Review the renal nerve anatomy and physiology basics and explore the concept of global vs. selective renal denervation (RDN) to uncover some of the fundamental limitations of non-targeted renal nerve ablation and the potential superiority of selective RDN.
Recent trials testing the efficacy of RDN showed mixed results. Initial investigations targeted global RDN as a therapeutic goal. The repeat observation of heterogeneous response to RDN including non-responders with lack of a BP reduction, or even more unsettling, BP elevations after RDN has raised concern for the detrimental effects of unselective global RDN. Subsequent studies have suggested the presence of a heterogeneous fiber population and the potential utility of renal nerve stimulation to identify sympatho-stimulatory fibers or \"hot spots.\" The recognition that RDN can produce heterogeneous afferent sympathetic effects both change therapeutic goals and revitalize the potential of therapeutic RDN to provide significant clinical benefits. Renal nerve stimulation has emerged as potential tool to identify sympatho-stimulatory fibers, avoid sympatho-inhibitory fibers, and thus guide selective RDN.

BACKGROUND: Occipital neuralgia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by sharp, shooting pains in the distribution of the occipital nerves. Although relatively rare, it associated with extremely debilitating symptoms that drastically affect a patient\'s quality of life. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to treat as the symptoms are refractory to traditional treatments, including pharmacologic and procedural interventions. A few previous case studies have established the use of a neurostimulation of the occipital nerves to treat occipital neuralgia.
OBJECTIVE: The following expands on that literature by retrospectively reviewing the results of occipital nerve stimulation in a relatively large patient cohort (29 patients).
METHODS: A retrospective review of 29 patients undergoing occipital nerve stimulation for occipital neuralgia from 2012 to 2017 at a single institution with a single neurosurgeon.
RESULTS: Of those 29 patients, 5 were repair or replacement of previous systems, 4 did not have benefit from trial stimulation, and 20 saw benefit to their trial stage of stimulation and went on to full implantation. Of those 20 patients, even with a history of failed procedures and pharmacological therapies, there was an overall success rate of 85%. The average preoperative 10-point pain score dropped from 7.4 ± 1.7 to a postoperative score of 2.9 ± 1.7. However, as with any peripheral nerve stimulation procedure, there were complications (4 patients), including infection, hardware erosion, loss of effect, and lead migration, which required revision or system removal.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite complications, the results suggest, overall, that occipital nerve stimulation is a safe and effective procedure for refractory occipital neuralgia and should be in the neurosurgical repertoire for occipital neuralgia treatment.

OBJECTIVE: €‚ Postherniorrhaphy pain is a not uncommon, and difficult to treat, pain condition. Success with different methods of neurostimulation has been reported in the literature in the last decade. We assess the use of a new modality of neuromodulation--€”spinal-€peripheral neurostimulation (SPN).
METHODS: €‚ We report the results of treatment of a patient with bilateral, intractable postherniorrhaphy pain with SPN.
RESULTS: €‚ Significant reduction in pain and decrease in opioid consumption have been achieved.
CONCLUSIONS: €‚ SPN can be an effective treatment for postherniorrhaphy pain resistant to conservative management.