Intrathecal Pump Implant
An intrathecal pain pump implant is a method to relieve some types of long-term chronic pain. It may also be used among patients with cancer to alleviate their pain.
This pump implant delivers pain medication into the body using a small, flexible tube. It is inserted into the area around the spinal cord. The area between the tissue and spinal cord is the intrathecal space and contains cerebrospinal fluid.
A small round pump is connected to the tube. Both of these components will be implanted under the skin in a minimally invasive surgical procedure. A tiny electronic device is what will control the pump. This component is not inserted into the body.
The pump is filled with medicine and it moves from it to the tube and into the cerebrospinal fluid. Along the way, it reaches spinal nerves and prevents them from sending pain signals.
If you are experiencing chronic pain from a disease or injury or have cancer pain, an intrathecal pain pump implant may be used to help. It’s designed to alleviate pain in situations where other treatments have either not worked or caused you to experience serious negative side effects.
It can be used if you have tried pain medicine by injection, liquid, or pill. It can also be used as an alternative to surgery if that procedure is not possible.
There are many benefits to be aware of when choosing a pain pump for long-term discomfort. A few of the benefits you will experience include:
- Effective relief of pain.
- An improved ability to function and take part in daily life activities.
- Symptoms can be managed using only a fraction of what an oral dose would be.
- Fewer or no side effects are common compared to oral doses of medication.
If a pain pump is something you are considering, a screening test is a good option before moving forward. The screening test can give insight into what results you might have without the need to go through the device implantation process.
During a pain pump trial, one injection with a small amount of pain medication will be inserted into the intrathecal space. This can be used to see how effective the pain pump would be.
This screening test is critical because it assesses how well the delivery of drugs to this area helps with your pain. It also lets you experience what it feels like to have pain medication applied to the fluid-filled area near the spinal cord. It will also give you an idea of whether an intrathecal pain pump is right for your needs.
When you want ultimate control over your pain, targeted drug therapy such as an intrathecal pump implant can help. It can restore your independence and alleviate pain in a way other treatments may not.
At Modern Pain Consultants, we can personalize the settings of your home to the correct baseline and provide medication to improve your quality of life.