Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Implant for Chronic Posttraumatic Hip and Pelvic Pain: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND

Chronic hip and pelvic pain following trauma can be challenging to treat, particularly when pain originates from multiple nerve distributions. Traditional treatments often provide limited relief; peripheral nerve stimulation is a minimally invasive alternative.

CASE REPORT: A 68-year-old woman with persistent pelvic and hip pain following a right iliac wing fracture reported minimal response to medications and injections. Diagnostic nerve blocks targeting the obturator nerve, femoral sensory branches, and middle cluneal nerve, provided significant but short-term pain relief. A peripheral nerve stimulation trial targeting the middle cluneal, obturator, and femoral nerves resulted in a 75% reduction in pain. Following permanent implantation, a revision was required due to lead migration. Post revision, pain levels stabilized at 3-4/10 across both anterior and posterior pain distributions, with sustained improvement at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

This case demonstrates the feasibility and sustained benefit of externally powered peripheral nerve stimulation for chronic posttraumatic hip and pelvic pain.