Neurostimulation helps relieve patient’s pain
November 29, 2021—A Minnesota woman no longer suffers from chronic pain, thanks to a neurostimulation approach that’s based on research from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Medical School at the University of Minnesota.
April Reasor had tried all of the standard treatments without any relief before her care team referred her to neurosurgeon David Darrow, MD, MPH.
Dr. Darrow has spent years collaborating with BME Prof. Tay Netoff, PhD, on a clinical trial to develop and optimize neurostimulation settings to restore voluntary movement in patients suffering from chronic spinal cord injury and paraplegia.
Dr. Darrow and team used this work as a foundation for treating April’s pain via cortical brain stimulation, with outstanding results: April’s self-assessed pain dropped from eight (out of ten) to zero.
“April had been living with a chronic level of pain that made it difficult for her to perform normal daily functions,” said Prof. Netoff. “After stimulation, her whole outlook on life seemed to be transformed.”