New medical procedure at CMH will dramatically change the life of Cloquet woman

• Ben Kelly

Ben Kelly, of Boston Scientific, meets with Donna and Brian Tanner after surgery last Thursday to explain how the stimulator works and what to expect during the trial period, which is now complete. Tanner said she felt far less pain during the trial phase and plans to have a permanent unit implanted in April. It was the first time the procedure has been done at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. Lisa Baumann/lbaumann@pinejournal.com

Talk about it

More...

• Pain Free [Photos by Lisa Baumann / Pine Journal]

Cloquet resident Donna Tanner can’t wait for April 12.

That’s the day she’s going in for surgery.

“It can’t come quick enough,” the 53-year-old said this week.

For Tanner, it’s a surgery that will most likely dramatically change her life.

As recently as three years ago, Cloquet resident Donna Tanner was, in a word, active. She worked 45 hours per week for Builders Commonwealth and enjoyed gardening and walking.

“I used to do everything,” she said.

Then out of nowhere Tanner suffered a massive stroke that nearly took her life.

“They weren’t sure if I would make it,” she said. “But I wasn’t ready to go.”

Instead Tanner began a long road to recovery. Her entire right side was impaired as was her speech. And although Tanner spent weeks rehabilitating, she accepted that her speech and coordination on the right side of her body would never be perfect again.

“I still have those problems but those are doable at work and in my life,” she said. “I can deal with them on a day-to-day basis.”

It was when she started feeling extreme pain in the lower half of her body that she really started to suffer.

“Getting through pain was one of the biggest deals I’ve had to face,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

Doctors told Tanner the pain was related to the stroke and she began trying different pain medications, most of which did not help.

“With every new pain pill I tried I had to give it a month to work and if not, I had to start over with another one,” she explained.

Methadone was one of the only medications that helped, but it came at the expense of her freedom.

“It made pain tolerable,” Tanner explained. “But I couldn’t do a whole list of other things and it just angered me even more. It messes with your mind and your body. I didn’t like it.”

Tanner wasn’t supposed to drive while taking the drug and that limited her ability to get to work or even to the store for groceries.

Increasingly frustrated and no longer able to work, Tanner turned to Paul Vollmar, M.D. for alternatives.

“She had horrible debilitating pain,” Vollmar said.

Vollmar, an anesthesiologist, began working at Community Memorial Hospital last summer and started the community’s first Pain Management Clinic there at the same time.

He recommended an implantable spinal cord stimulator, in which electrical impulses are used to block pain from being perceived in the brain. Instead of pain, the patient feels a mild tingling sensation which generally overrides the pain feeling.

During the procedure, two wires connected to a power source would be implanted in Tanner’s spine. The wires can then be programmed to transmit low-level electrical signals that block pain signals from reaching the brain. A remote control lets the user determine the intensity of the current or turn it on or off.

When Tanner learned about the procedure, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I was agreeable to anything at that point and wanted to be off the drugs,” she said.

So last week, Vollmar performed the procedure for the first time in the Northland using a device made by Boston Scientific. The surgery took about an hour and during that time Tanner’s back was numbed but she was awake and able to answer questions about the device’s effectiveness.

“I was able to tell them that my pain was gone in my right side entirely while they were doing it,” she said. “They just had a little trouble getting to the pain in my left foot.”

Representatives from Boston Scientific then spent some time with Tanner explaining how the stimulator works and what to expect for the trial period – because the implant was only temporary.

A temporary implant is nearly always used first so doctors and patients can determine whether it will be of benefit. One representative during the surgery said the cost of the surgery and unit can range from $15,000 to $25,000, depending on the situation. Health insurance is paying for it, in Tanner’s case.

While Vollmar had not done the procedure at CMH, he said he had done plenty of them while in training and said Tanner was a good example of the type of patient who can benefit from it.

“We’re aiming for better than 50 percent pain reduction,” he said. “If it works for her, it will change her life.”

Tanner was convinced of the benefits immediately.

“I was able to take a long walk on Sunday with it in and it was the longest walk I’ve taken for probably three years,” she said. “I felt better than I’ve felt in a year. Instead of pain, I feel a tingly, massage-y feeling.”

The temporary stimulator was removed on Monday and Tanner was able to schedule the surgery for immediately after her back is healed from the first procedure.

“I just said ‘onward!’ and Dr. Vollmar’s smile spoke a million words,” Tanner said of Monday’s follow-up appointment.

The permanent arrangement will include the wire-like devices implanted in her spine and a pace-maker sized receiver implanted in her back near her waist which “speaks” to her remote control. The receiver can be charged, somewhat like a battery, once a week.

“It really sounds easy,” Tanner said. “And I won’t have to deal with drugs anymore or anything else for something like 10 years.”

Tanner hopes to return to work at least two days a week, play with her grandson and generally regain some of her freedom.

“Going back to work will be great for my social life,” she said with a laugh. “And my grandson will be crawling soon so I hope to get down on the floor with him.”

Even her husband, Brian, noticed a difference while she had the temporary stimulator.

“He is just pleased and proud and said he could tell a difference in my attitude,” she said.

In the meantime, Tanner is back to pain medication.

“I woke up with the worst pain in my hip on Tuesday and I thought, ‘Oh this isn’t fair,’” she said. “But I thank Dr. Vollmar and his nurse Linda [Lindquist] every day. Without them I’d still be cuddled up in a ball in the corner.”

Tags: news, health, pain, cmh, business