Pain control with electrical

In the early years of STM operation, coarse approaching was conducted manually. It is a painfully difficult process. With an electrically controlled coarse advance mechanism, the coarse positioning can be performed automatically. 

Medico-technical instruments such as infusion pumps can be used in PCA (patient-controlled analgesia, Fig. 1) to provide patient-orientated and therapy as required, e.g. with morphine injection solutions. Depending on the patients perception of pain, they may add small doses of analgesics to the basic infusion by means of an electrically controlled infusion pump. The physician specifies the basic dose, which is infused independent of patient demands, the boluses that can be demanded, an hourly maximum dose and a refractory time that cannot be reduced between two doses. The infusion may be given intravenously, subcutaneously, epidurally or intraspinally. 

A general study of the clinical effectiveness of massage by Ernst (1994) used numerous trials, with and without control groups. A variety of control interventions were used in the controlled studies including placebo, analgesics, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and so on. There were some positive effects of vibrational or manual massage, assessed as improvements in mobility, Doppler ow, expiratory volume, and reduced lymphedema in controlled studies. Improvements in musculoskeletal and phantom limb pain, but not cancer pain, were recorded in controlled studies. Uncontrolled studies were invariably positive. Adverse effects included thrombophlebitis and local in ammation or ulceration of the skin. 

The electrical excitability phenomenon, inherent to neural tissues, provides an opportunity to effect external control over many body systems paralyzed limbs can be made to move, the blind can experience visual sensations, the deaf people can experience the voice of others close by or by phone, pain can be alleviated, tremors suppressed, and mental disorders treated. Devices, often referred to as neuroprostheses, that perform these functions can be sold. Companies that make devices that provide the most function with the smallest, safest devices that also have long battery lifetimes usually have the market advantage. Function is directly related to electrode placement improperly placed electrodes don t work or have undesirable side effects. The remedy has been reimplantation, but tunable electrodes, structures with multiple small contacts, are making it possible to avoid additional surgery by providing pathways to manipulate the shape of the excitatory fields. 

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