Surgical implantation of spinal cord stimulators is a common practise that has been used to treat chronic pain in Australia for a number of decades. However, recent research has shown that there is limited evidence on their long-term effectiveness in providing pain relief and improving quality of life, and the potential harms associated with this treatment can be serious. This has raised questions about if they should continue to be used for the treatment of chronic back pain. Professor Ian Harris from the University of New South Wales, who co-authored a research article on spinal cord stimulators in 2023, joined The Daily to chat more.