Chronic pain is a pressing medical and socioeconomic issue worldwide. It is debilitating for individual patients and places a major burden on society in the forms of direct medical costs and lost work productivity. Various biochemical pathways have been explored to explain the pathophysiology of chronic pain in order to identify biomarkers that can potentially serve as both evaluators of and guides for therapeutic effectiveness. The kynurenine pathway has recently been a source of interest due to its suspected role in the development and sustainment of chronic pain conditions. The kynurenine pathway is the primary pathway responsible for the metabolization of tryptophan and generates nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), in addition to the metabolites kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KA), and quinolinic acid (QA). Dysregulation of this pathway and changes in the ratios of these metabolites have been associated with numerous neurotoxic and inflammatory states, many of which present simultaneously with chronic pain symptoms. While further studies utilizing biomarkers to elucidate the kynurenine pathway’s role in chronic pain are needed, the metabolites and receptors involved in its processes nevertheless present researchers with promising sources of novel and personalized disease-modifying treatments.

Deep infections of spinal cord stimulator devices usually result in explantation, as recommended by some professional societies. However, alternative options should be explored to avoid potential complications that are associated with explantation, and possibly additional procedures required in consideration of reimplantation. In this case, the patient presented with wound dehiscence after implantation. There was suspicion for deep wound infection based on a wound culture that was positive for Staphylococcus aureus, but no purulent material was noted on further inspection. The patient was treated with standard wound-care management and oral antibiotics without removing the device, and recovered while preserving the original system.