Treatment of glenohumeral arthritis pain utilizing spinal cord stimulation

BACKGROUND: Dorsal column stimulation may be utilized to treat non-neuropathic pain attributed to glenohumeral arthritis. CASE DESCRIPTION: An 84-year-old female presented with right shoulder pain for 3 years. She was diagnosed with glenohumeral arthritis and a complete loss of the joint space. She was treated with a dorsal column stimulator, requiring the electrodes to be placed from the inferior aspect of C3 to the superior aspect of T1. Six weeks postoperatively, she reported >90% coverage of her shoulder pain, demonstrated increased right arm function, and a reduction in her use of narcotics. CONCLUSION: Dorsal column stimulation of C3–T1 proved to be an effective alternative treatment for drug-resistant glenohumeral arthritis in an 84-year-old female with a complete loss of the joint space.