The Reed Procedure® Trial Stimulator

The Reed Procedure®: A Potentially Permanent Surgical Migraine Treatment

It’s not often that a patient has the opportunity to test a medical procedure first to make sure that it works for them before fully committing to it. Well, at Reed Migraine Centers, that’s exactly what we offer with the Reed Procedure® – a chance to try the neurostimulator device for a few days first to determine if it effectively treats your pain before having the permanent stimulator implanted.

During the trial procedure, we implant a temporary unit, much like an IV tube underneath the skin, and leave it in for a few days to see if the patient stops feeling the headaches. The patient then goes home wearing the temporary unit for three to seven days. Typically, the effects are dramatic, and the patient will know whether or not the procedure will work right away with a high degree of certainty. The patient returns after the trial period, and the temporary unit is removed.

If the trial stimulator does work, which is the case for over 80% of our patients, the patient goes on to have the permanent stimulator implanted. However, if the patient does not see a dramatic change in their headaches, they simply do not move forward with the permanent stimulator. We are highly confident that the permanent stimulator will work effectively on patients who have a successful trial.