Implantation of an intercostal nerve stimulator for chronic abdominal pain.
Johnson RD., Green AL., Aziz TZ.
Chronic abdominal pain is not uncommon and can be difficult to manage. We present the case of a 17-year-old man with a 4-year history of chronic abdominal pain. The patient had previously undergone abdominal surgery by way of laparoscopic appendicectomy and right nephrectomy for a mal-rotated kidney. The patient continued to suffer right-sided abdominal pain which was not controlled by analgesia. We report the successful implantation of a right D11 intercostal nerve stimulator to control the patient's pain. This is the first report of an implantable intercostal nerve stimulator to control intractable chronic abdominal pain.