A veteran of all aspects of anesthesia care, Robert B. Wilson, II, MD, brings the latest scientific advances in pain management therapies to Salisbury, North Carolina, and the greater Charlotte-Metro region. Since opening his pain management practice, Piedmont Interventional Pain Care, nearly 20 years ago, he has stayed up-to-date on the latest techniques and technologies, including neuromodulation (through implantable spinal cord stimulation) for minimally invasive, interventional pain relief.
On July 17, 2024, Dr. Wilson became the first in the nation to implant the Infinion PRO 16 Lead for a spinal cord stimulator (SCS). The Infinion PRO Lead, developed by Boston Scientific, spans three vertebral levels and provides seamless coverage of multiple pain targets. Unlike the more commonly used eight-contact lead, Dr. Wilson says the latest option can offer better pain coverage and improved patient outcomes in a more durable device. It can help many suffering from conditions that cause chronic back and extremity pain.
“Our goal with spinal cord stimulation is to help patients return to a more active lifestyle. So, over time, and with greater mobility, there is a chance the leads can move slightly. The Infinion PRO covers a greater target area and is more durable. So, there is less of a chance for needed adjustments over time,” Dr. Wilson says. “This is an advantage to the patient. With the lead positioned in the middle of it in the ‘sweet spot,’ the coverage is still there even in the event of the lead slightly moving.
Setting the Standard in Spinal Cord Stimulation and Interventional Pain Management
In 2006, Dr. Wilson set a new standard in his field as the first in the Southeast to implant a rechargeable neurostimulator (SCS device) connected to a three-lead array. In addition to covering extremity pain (arms and legs), this electrode configuration allowed for shielding of the motor fibers so that current could be directed to the deeper lower back (lumbar spine) fibers.
Spinal cord stimulation is FDA-approved, drug-free, and clinically proven to provide long-term relief from chronic pain. A small implantable device connected to thin, flexible leads placed along the spinal cord sends mild pulses to the nerves. The device and leads work in tandem to disrupt or even stop pain signals before they reach the brain. An advantage of SCS is that patients can complete a one-week trial of the device to ensure it works for their pain.
Over the years, Dr. Wilson introduced additional neuromodulation technology to his patients and participates in international studies documenting the efficacy of the evolution of neuromodulation with the WaveWriter Alpha
and Fast Acting Sub-perception Therapy (FAST).
The WaveWriter Alpha Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems are designed to provide personalized, long-lasting pain relief. The portfolio of SCS devices is full-body MRI conditional2, offering proprietary Fast Acting Sub-perception Therapy (FAST) engineered to provide profound paresthesia-free pain relief to patients in minutes. With the ability to deliver multiple therapies in one device, patients are given the option to find the therapy that works best for them. One therapy inhibits sensory nerve transmission and provides a tingling sensation. The other provides a patient with no tingling sensation and no pain, which Dr. Wilson considers to be the gold standard. Boston Scientific SCS Systems’ ability to deliver multiple therapies simultaneously is unique and has been clinically proven to provide greater pain relief.
Boston Scientific writes: We have a long history of product innovation. We believe that meaningful innovation is focused on improved outcomes and greater pain relief for the patient. Providing more pain relief to a broader spectrum of patients is the guiding principle behind our continual development of next-generation products. By providing 32 contacts — twice the number of contacts available with other SCS systems — the Spectra WaveWriter SCS System offers more coverage of the spinal cord for the management of chronic pain. Boston Scientific specifically developed the Precision Spectra System to achieve better therapy outcomes.
“I have always appreciated Boston Scientific’s research and development,” Dr. Wilson says. They aren’t just “redoing” or repackaging – the company is innovative, but it backs it up with deliberate and careful research and testing.”
While promising medical options for chronic pain exist, Dr. Wilson says he approaches novel technology with careful consideration and a critical review balanced with each patient’s unique needs.
“We have so many of these tools that we didn’t have years ago, but there is a side of caution you have to take. I personally have to do the research and investigation and pursue what is right for my patients to achieve better outcomes,” Dr. Wilson says.
“Knowing I can help a patient without surgery motivates me more than anything. I am one to look at everything, but I weigh the options critically. Just because something is new doesn’t mean it is better. I use objective analysis, and then my experience guides me to the appropriate decisions,” Dr. Wilson explains.
Dr. Wilson has implanted hundreds of spinal cord stimulation devices for patients with chronic debilitating pain – many who thought they were out of hope – and SCS helps them achieve a new lease on life. He has dedicated his energy and resources to treating victims of acute or chronic debilitating pain, especially those who may have thought they could never be helped.
One of his spinal cord stimulation patients describes her experience, “He (Dr. Wilson) is very different. He actually listens to the patient and takes that into consideration before he even looks at (performing) any test or anything. He’s thorough and experienced. He also talks to me on a level that an average person can understand. He talks to me, not at me, and he includes me in decisions – he gives the options and lets me make a decision,” she explained.
Dr. Wilson says he is pleased to offer these life-altering options to his patients – many of whom come to him feeling like there is little hope. “I’ve seen people with the most intense, debilitating pain return to living their lives again with a measure of welcome normality,” says Dr. Wilson.
“The techniques we practice are the latest medical advances in the field and offer promise and relief for all those who thought they would have to endure constant pain for the rest of their lives, he says. “Current advances give us a range of choices in caring for chronic pain the likes of which we have never seen before,” says Dr. Wilson. “I also stay active in community outreach because so many patients don’t know what is available. Relieving one’s pain is transformational. I want to get the word out to those who think there is no help or hope for them. Today, there most certainly is.”
Providing a Continuum of Care
Dr. Wilson underscores the care that comes before and after SCS procedures, including his pain care team and Boston Scientifc’s Executive Clinical Specialist, Kira Trexler, who is regularly in the office. Kira coordinates SCS trials, provides patient care and follow-up, and presents free monthly educational presentations so anyone can learn more about SCS.
“It’s so much more than products and technology. Pain is very personal. We provide a continuum of care for our patients. Our patients respond to that care, and it builds trust. They know we are there for them every step of the way,” Dr. Wilson says.
Dr. Robert Wilson, II, founded Piedmont Interventional Pain Care nearly 20 years ago. Since then, he has proudly served patients in Salisbury and the greater Rowan and Charlotte metro region. Dr. Wilson is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology. He completed his residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in pain medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Wilson is an avid speaker providing information to the public and medical professionals about the latest interventional pain treatments.
View the original post on the Piedmont Interventional Pain Care website.
