Impact of ventralis caudalis deep brain stimulation combined with stereotactic bilateral cingulotomy for treatment of post-stroke pain

Abstract

Stroke is the third leading cause of death worldwide. As the elderly population grows, interest in the quality of life, management and treatment of patients with post-stroke pain has grown. Pharmacological treatment is usually the first line of management in these patients. However, if medications fail to achieve appropriate pain relief, neuroablative or neuromodulating procedures are used as alternative methods to interrupt the transmission of pain. We performed unilateral ventralis caudalis deep brain stimulation combined with stereotactic bilateral cingulotomy to maximize the effects of treatment for 3 patients with intractable post-stroke pain.