Migration of percutaneously implanted leads during spinal cord stimulator (SCS) trial is a significant complication that can substantially decrease the efficacy of spinal stimulation and subsequently affect the overall efficacy of the trial period.

The ability to recognize this via fluoroscopy and troubleshoot accordingly can potentially salvage the trial period still resulting in a successful overall trial.

Interventional pain medicine physicians should be quick to utilize fluoroscopy to assess location of the percutaneous leads during the trial period whenever there is a sudden, acute loss of paresthesia coverage.