POSITION STATEMENT ON SPINAL CORD NEUROSTIMULATION
The NEUROMODULATION THERAPY ACCESS COALITION “POSITION STATEMENT ON SPINAL CORD NEUROSTIMULATION” recognizes spinal cord stimulation (SCS) as an established treatment for chronic neuropathic pain. This kind of pain can arise after nerve or nervous system injury, such as Doug Landau has seen after a car crash or fall from a construction site. Abrams Landau. Ltd. represented one client from Connecticut who was able to return to school and get his Masters Degree from Yale University after being struck by an 18-wheel truck because of the implantation of a spinal cord stimulator. The Herndon Reston area spine injury lawyer was able to win BOTH this client’s Social Security Disability claim AND his motor vehicle negligence case when hee was hit by a drunk driver. SCS is minimally invasive, non-destructive, and reversible. Pain specialists can conduct a temporary screening trial with an external pulse generator to assess whether a patient should proceed to implantation of the entire system.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes SCS as an aid in the management of chronic intractable pain of the trunk, arms and legs. This includes unilateral or bilateral pain associated with so-called “failed back surgery syndrome,” which is generally defined as pain continuing or resuming despite an operative procedure undertaken to correct the cause of the pain. Herndon Reston area back, spine and brain injury lawyer Doug Landau has seen numerous instances of “failed back syndrome.” Not every patient is ideally suited for SCS, but there are clients who have gotten relief through TENS units, SCS and other medical treatment modalities short of, or other than, neurological surgery. The reversibility of SCS is one of its most important features; unlike other surgical procedures that are commonly performed to relieve pain, SCS does not ablate pain pathways or change a patient’s spinal anatomy.
Based on peer-reviewed evidence demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of SCS in relieving chronic pain while improving quality of life and functional outcomes, SCS is covered by virtually all governmental and private payers in the U.S.
Workmans comp is denying neurostimulation surgery for my daughter age 28 who is s/p laminectomy 4/07 for work injury and continues to recieve WC payment. She has post-laminectomy syndrome and is in excrutiating pain, on multiple pain meds (recently hospitalized for syndrome for 4-5 weeks) and is unable to care for herself because walking is so difficult and some days impossible.
She also has Medicare. Would Medicare pay for the surgery?