Patients who underwent implantation of dorsal column stimulators from 1970 to 1973 were reviewed 7–10 years following stimulation. The number who achieved satisfactory pain relief was not significant. The criteria for selecting these patients were reviewed utilizing those now used in 1980. 50% of the patients originally selected would now be rejected for psychological or drug-related reasons. This long-term evaluation indicates no benefit to the patients treated with spinal cord stimulation. However, it appears that psychological factors were the most important reasons for failure. A smaller group of patients studied for 3–5 years following implantation of epidural spinal cord stimulators achieved a 70% pain control rate. Selection factors that explain these differences are discussed.