Dorsal root entry zone lesions to control central pain in paraplegics

Abstract
Patients (13) with intractable long-term pain following spinal cord injury and paraplegia were treated with dorsal root entry zone lesions placed at the level just above the transection. Pain relief of .gtoreq. 50% was achieved in 11 of the 13 patients, with follow-up periods of 5-38 mo. Central pain from brachial plexus avulsion can be relieved by dorsal root entry zone lesions; this technique was extended to the central pain phenomena associated with spinal trauma and paraplegia.