Neurosurgical techniques in the management of chronic pain

Neurosurgical treatments for pain can be classified into three categories: treatment of the cause, neuromodulation and neuroablative techniques in order of preference of application. In general, it is important to be able offer all treatments in a pluripotential context. All of these treatments are now delivered in a multidisciplinary context, with other adjunctive treatments including pain medicine, cognitive techniques and pain management programmes. There is increasing emphasis on outcome measurement in all categories, using both condition-specific and generic assessment tools such as the EuroQuol-5D. In this context, it is longer term outcomes that are important - meaning several years.