A case of potential treatment of remote pain after sacral nerve stimulation for chronic urinary retention.

OBJECTIVE: A case is presented in which a 58-year-old man developed a potential unintended and durable treatment of pain at remote sites (cervical region and low back) after sacral nerve stimulation for chronic urinary retention. METHODS: Proper placement of the electrodes in the S3 foramen was confirmed by physiological response and fluoroscopy. RESULTS: Potential causality was shown by recurrent pain with the stimulators turned off and abatement of pain with the stimulators turned on. DISCUSSION: The current case presents a potential example of neurological crosstalk and highlights the inherent complexity in human neural physiology. Further research may reveal novel treatment strategies for patients with voiding dysfunction and chronic pain syndromes.