Motor/Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Following Lumbar Surgery Reduces Postoperative Analgesia Use.

Study Design: Randomized, controlled pilot trial.

Objective: The present study is the first randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot clinical trial of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for pain and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) opioid usage among patients receiving spine surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Lumbar spinal surgeries are common, and while pain is often a complaint that precedes surgical intervention, the procedures themselves are associated with considerable postoperative pain lasting days to weeks.