Intrathecal Pain Pump
What is it:
A small machine delivers drugs directly to fluid around the spinal cord through catheters. The machine is battery- operated and is small enough to be placed just under the skin of the abdomen. The surgery is done as an outpateint procedure, and is usually done in about an hours time. Your clinician uses a handheld programmer to adjust the medication dosage. There is also a patient programmer called a PTM that allows the patient to give themselves an extra dose of medication if needed, which the physician sets within specific parameters.
Who is a candidate:
The majority of patients with intrathecal pain pumps have cancer or chronic pain, and have failed other forms of pain management. Your pain management specialist will know if you are the right candidate for this interventional treatment.
Benefits:
It offers more effective pain control with less medicine than if you were taking oral medication. The medicine that is delivered through the Intrathecal Pain Pump is 1/300 of what the patient would be talking orally. It reduces side effects such as nausea, sleepiness, constipation,, and vomiting compared to oral medication. It also can be more cost effective because of the cost for emergency room visits. Read the article
Intrathecal Therapy better for end stage cancer patients in our news feed for more information.
Ask your physician about this devise, and to refer you to
Pain Management Associates if he or she thinks you might benefit from an Intrathecal Pain Pump. Dr. Bojrab and Dr. Hatch look forward to helping you control your pain.