HIGH CERVICAL SPINAL-CORD STIMULATION FOR UNSTABLE ANGINA-PECTORIS

Twelve patients with grade IV unstable angina were treated with high cervical spinal cord stimulation (SCS). All patients had been previously treated with maximal tolerated doses of beta-blockers and calcium antagonists and had no possibility of revascularization surgery or intraluminal angioplasty. Multipolar electrodes were implanted using a percutaneous technique, and the parameters of stimulation were pulse width 0.1 ms, frequency 120 Hz, intensity that caused no unpleasant paresthesias, with two periods of 4 h 'on' daily. After a mean follow-up of 9.8 +/- 8.2 months the clinical results show a significant reduction in the number of angina attacks (p < 0.01) and in their grade (p < 0.001). In the treadmill ergometric test, a significant increase in the time until angina and double product (p < 0.01) was observed. We conclude that the SCS is a very low-risk technique that significantly increases the quality of life of patients with unstable angina.