60-Day Peripheral Nerve Stimulation in Chronic Knee Pain: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction: Chronic knee pain has seen a significant rise over the past two decades, leading to increased functional limitations, mobility challenges, and decreased quality of life. Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an alternative management approach for chronic knee pain across various conditions. PNS involves implanting an electrode near a targeted nerve to deliver electrical stimulation, which interrupts pain signals, providing pain relief. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a 60-day PNS system in treating chronic knee pain and includes a comparison to a control group receiving conventional medical management (CMM).

Methods: This retrospective database and chart review study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a 60-day PNS system for managing chronic knee pain. Data were sourced from the device manufacturer's database, which included treatment records from two experienced interventional chronic pain physicians. The analysis focused on patients treated with the 60-day PNS therapy for chronic knee pain. The patient population consisted of individuals who received the PNS therapy specifically for knee pain under the care of the two experienced interventional chronic pain physicians, ensuring consistency in treatment application. Additionally, a chart review of 12 patients with similar pain complaints treated with CMM during the same time period was conducted to serve as a comparison group. Responder status was defined as achieving ≥ 50% pain relief.

Results: Eighteen patients were identified who underwent PNS-therapy, and 94.4% (17/18) of the patients achieved ≥ 50% pain relief (responders) following the 60-day percutaneous PNS therapy. The weighted average of relief among responders was determined to be 82.3%. In the CMM control group, only 33.3% (4/12) of patients met the responder threshold, with an average relief of 61.3% among responders.

Conclusions: The study findings suggest that a 60-day percutaneous PNS targeting lower extremity nerves can effectively manage chronic knee pain. Further research is needed to determine the long-term efficacy of this treatment for various pain conditions.