TY - JOUR
T1 - Scrambler therapy for noncancer neuropathic pain
T2 - A focused review
AU - Abdi, Salahadin
AU - Chung, Matthew
AU - Marineo, Giuseppe
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - Purpose of review Therapeutic methods for neuropathic are limited; available drugs can be inadequate or have adverse effects that compromise quality of life. Interest has grown in alternatives to pharmacologic therapy for neuropathic pain. We present a focused review of the literature about the relatively novel noninvasive, nonpharmacologic electrocutaneous nerve stimulation technique called scrambler therapy for treating noncancer neuropathic pain. Recent findings Neuromodulation techniques targeting peripheral sites have changed rapidly in recent years. Several clinical studies have demonstrated the analgesic effect of scrambler therapy after 10 sessions of treatment for various types of pain. Although scrambler therapy was originally used for cancer pain, its indications have broadened to postoperative pain, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, low back pain, diabetic neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome and central pain syndrome. That said, some of the studies are controversial owing to their small sample size, lack of appropriate scrambler therapy protocol and possible lack of experience of the operators. Summary We present the historical perspective, mechanism of action and trial outcomes of scrambler therapy, representing an avenue for managing neuropathic pain without drugs. Well designed phase II/III clinical trials must be conducted to confirm the positive findings reported using scrambler therapy technology. If validated, scrambler therapy could be a game changer.
AB - Purpose of review Therapeutic methods for neuropathic are limited; available drugs can be inadequate or have adverse effects that compromise quality of life. Interest has grown in alternatives to pharmacologic therapy for neuropathic pain. We present a focused review of the literature about the relatively novel noninvasive, nonpharmacologic electrocutaneous nerve stimulation technique called scrambler therapy for treating noncancer neuropathic pain. Recent findings Neuromodulation techniques targeting peripheral sites have changed rapidly in recent years. Several clinical studies have demonstrated the analgesic effect of scrambler therapy after 10 sessions of treatment for various types of pain. Although scrambler therapy was originally used for cancer pain, its indications have broadened to postoperative pain, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, low back pain, diabetic neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome and central pain syndrome. That said, some of the studies are controversial owing to their small sample size, lack of appropriate scrambler therapy protocol and possible lack of experience of the operators. Summary We present the historical perspective, mechanism of action and trial outcomes of scrambler therapy, representing an avenue for managing neuropathic pain without drugs. Well designed phase II/III clinical trials must be conducted to confirm the positive findings reported using scrambler therapy technology. If validated, scrambler therapy could be a game changer.
KW - Chronic pain
KW - Neuromodulation
KW - Neuropathic pain
KW - Peripheral nerve stimulator
KW - Scrambler therapy
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U2 - 10.1097/ACO.0000000000001073
DO - 10.1097/ACO.0000000000001073
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34653073
AN - SCOPUS:85120699950
SN - 0952-7907
VL - 34
SP - 768
EP - 773
JO - Current opinion in anaesthesiology
JF - Current opinion in anaesthesiology
IS - 6
ER -