Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Combined occipital and supraorbital neurostimulation for the treatment of chronic migraine headaches: initial experience

Combined occipital and supraorbital neurostimulation for the treatment of chronic migraine headaches: initial experience
KL Reed 1 , SB Black 2 , CJ Banta II 3 & KR Will 1
1 Department of Anesthesiology, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, 2 Medical Director of Neurology, Baylor University Medical Center of Dallas, and 3 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
Correspondence to Kenneth L. Reed MD, 8220 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 202, Dallas, TX 75231, USA. Tel. + 1-214-345-5656, fax + 1-214-345-5698, e-mail klreed1@swbell.net
Copyright © 2009 International Headache Society


A novel approach to the treatment of chronic migraine headaches based on neurostimulation of both occipital and supraorbital nerves was developed and reduced to clinical practice in a series of patients with headaches unresponsive to currently available therapies. Following positive trials, seven patients with chronic migraine and refractory chronic migraine headaches had permanent combined occipital nerve–supraorbital nerve neurostimulation systems implanted. The relative responses to two stimulation programs were evaluated: one that stimulated only the occipital leads and one that stimulated both the occipital and supraorbital leads together. With follow-up ranging from 1 to 35 months all patients reported a full therapeutic response but only to combined supraorbital–occipital neurostimulation. Occipital nerve stimulation alone provided a markedly inferior and inadequate response. Combined occipital nerve–supraorbital nerve neurostimulation systems may provide effective treatment for patients with chronic migraine and refractory chronic migraine headaches. For patients with chronic migraine headaches the response to combined systems appears to be substantially better than occipital nerve stimulation alone.

Received 24 March 2009, accepted 26 July 2009
DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)
10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01996.x About DOI

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