Application of intratissue electrostimulation in the treatment of chronic post-traumatic bone pain syndrome at stages II-III of medical rehabilitation

Abstract

Objective: to improve the outcomes of medical rehabilitation of mature second-degree patients with spi¬nal cord injury complicated by emotional-volitional disorders in the long-term period of injury, by applying intrathecal electrostimulation. Material and methods. The results of intrathecal electrostimulation in the treatment of chronic bone pain syndrome complicated by the development of anxiety-depressive disorders in patients with mono- and bisegmental fractures of the A1 and A2 types of lumbar vertebrae (according to Magerl) were studied. Two groups of patients (n=36) comparable in gender, age, and degree of functional impairment in the age range from 45 to 65 years were the objects of the study. Intrathecal electrostimulation was used as monotherapy in the patients of the main group (n=17). Patients included in the comparison group (n=19) received treatment corresponding to stages II-III of medical rehabilitation. Pain intensity was assessed by measuring the electrical potential of the skin and using the VAS scale. The degree of anxiety-depressive disorder was determined by a specialized questionnaire, Simptom Check List-90-Revised. Quality of life was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index. Results. Positive treatment outcomes in the form of reduced anxiety were achieved in 100% (n=17) of patients in the main group and 53% (n=9) in the comparison group (p=0.05). Pain syndrome was eliminated in more patients in the main group (n=17) compared to (n=11) in the com-parison group. There was a difference in a number of numerical measures of quality of life and patient satisfaction with the treatment received: the value (vector) of the level of rehabilitation potential and the value of the outcome level at p=0.01. Conclusion. An effective, pathogenetically grounded technique for rehabilitation of patients with spinal column injuries was proposed, and the tactics of applying intratissue stimulation to mature and elderly patients with disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere at the outpatient stage of rehabilitation treatment was developed.