Surgery
If other treatments haven’t helped. Surgical options include: Surgery may be an option
• Deep brain stimulation. Deep brain stimulation, also known as motor cortex stimulation, is similar to spinal cord stimulation except that the current is delivered within the brain. A surgeon uses a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to position the electrodes correctly. Although the data are still limited, deep brain stimulation appears to be a fairly promising option in selected individuals.
• Myoelectric prosthesis. This type of artificial limb has motors controlled by electrical signals that occur during voluntary muscle activation in the remaining limb. Intensive use of a myoelectric prosthesis sometimes results in reduced phantom pain.
• Stump revision or neurectomy. If phantom pain is triggered by nerve irritation in the stump, surgical resection or revision can sometimes be helpful. But cutting nerves also carries the risk of making the pain worse. On the horizon Newer approaches to relieving phantom pain may involve fooling the brain into thinking it can still control the amputated limb.
• Virtual reality goggles. The computer program for these goggles mirrors the person’s intact limb, so it looks like there’s been no amputation. The person then moves his or her virtual limb around to accomplish various tasks, such as batting away a ball hanging in midair. Although this technique has been tested on only a few people, it appears to help relieve phantom pain.
• The mirror box has two openings — one for the intact limb and one for the stump. The person then performs symmetrical exercises, while imagining that the missing limb is moving. This helps relieve phantom pain in some people.
