Title : Intrathecal drug delivery systems
Abstract:
Intrathecal drug delivery systems are implanted pumps that target pain relief or anti-spasm medication to an area of the spine that relays signals between an affected area of the body and the brain. Persons with chronic pain or muscle spasms may be considered for such a device if, over time, the medications they have been taking have become less effective, or the side effects more difficult to tolerate. Although receiving an implanted pump is not a cure, using one may allow patients more symptom relief, participation in daily activities, and better rest. With these systems, medication is immediately released into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord and directly reaches the nerves in the spinal cord that are responsible for symptoms, such as perception of pain. For this reason, much lower amounts of the active medication, such as morphine or baclofen, are needed than when medication is taken by tablet or intravenous infusion. Compared to medication taken by mouth, an intrathecal pump usually only requires 1% of the dose. Not only is direct delivery more effective, it also avoids, to a large degree, overall side effects that occur with medication taken by mouth or injected into the bloodstream through intravenous infusion. The presentation will describe the implantation of such systems, highlight the differences between fixed- & variable-rate pumps, underly the significance of various infusion modii, describe the possible associated risks & complications, and illustrate how refills are generally done.
Audience Take Away:
- Intrathecal therapy as one of the many available neuromodulation options to treat chronic pain & spasticity
- Better control of pain & spasticity leading to more constructive physiotherapy sessions
- Advantages & disadvantages of targeted drug delivery
- Improvement of patients´ quality of life
