Neuromodulation is technology that acts directly upon nerves. It is the alteration—or modulation—of nerve activity by delivering electrical ( spinal cord stimulation) or pharmaceutical agents directly to a target area.
This is used in the context of severe persistent pain or spasticity due to nerve damage. A growing number of conditions can be treated with Neuromodulation e.g Chronic back/leg pain, Abdominal/pelvic pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Facial pain, Occipital neuralgia, Headaches and Brain/Spinal spasticity.
Neuromodulation is an invasive treatment but for selected patients whose chronic conditions cause suffering and disability it can bring considerable relief and improvement, often after all other measures have failed.
The Cardiff Neuromodulation unit is the tertiary referral centre for Wales and works closely with multidisciplinary teams at the Complex pain clinic in Rookwood hospital and other chronic pain clinics.
We also provide the Welsh intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) service. We have two consultant neurosurgeons and four full-time intrathecal drug delivery nurse practitioners running the service.
Mr Chirag Patel (Chronic pain & Spasticity)
Mr Jozsef Lang (Spasticity)
Joanne John
Michelle Jenkins
Bethan Lever
Mari Walsh
Spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain of neuropathic or ischaemic origin