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About the Therapy
Drug pumps are implanted so they can send pain medication directly to the fluid around your spinal cord. This targeted delivery is designed to help reduce pain and minimise side effects, to help improve your quality of life.
A drug pump, also called an intrathecal drug delivery (IDD) system, sends pain medication directly to the fluid around the spinal cord, providing pain relief with a small fraction of the medication needed if taken orally.
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All treatment and outcome results are specific to the individual patient, and will form part of your consultation with your healthcare professional.
Please consult your healthcare professional for a full list of benefits, indications, precautions, clinical results, and other important medical information that pertains to drug pumps.
Learn some of the commonly asked questions about drug pumps.
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Drug pumps (intrathecal drug delivery systems) deliver pain medication to the fluid-filled area surrounding the spinal cord (called the intrathecal space). Because pain medication goes directly to the area around the spine, a drug pump may offer significant pain control using a small fraction of the dose that oral medication requires.1-3
The system consists of a pump and catheter, both of which are surgically placed under the skin. The pump is a round device that stores and delivers pain medication. It is typically placed in your abdomen. The catheter (a thin, flexible tube) is inserted into your spine and connected to the pump.
During the surgery, your doctor fills the pump with pain medication using a needle. The pump sends the medication through the catheter to the spinal area where pain receptors are located. You return to your doctor for more medicine when the pump needs to be refilled.
The spinal cord is like a highway for pain signals that are heading to the brain. When the pump sends pain medication directly to the spine, it interrupts the pain signals before they reach the brain.
Onofrio BM, Yaksh TL. Long-Term Pain Relief Produced by Intrathecal Infusion in 53 Patients. J Neurosurg 1990; 72: 200-209.
Lamer TJ. Treatment of Cancer-Related Pain: When Orally Administered Medications Fail. Mayo Clin Proc 1994; 69:473-480.
Portenoy RK. Management of Common Opioid Side Effects During Long-Term Therapy of Cancer Pain. Ann Acad Med 1994; 23:160-170.
Not necessarily. You will need to discuss this with your doctor. Regardless of the state of your cancer, the right treatment for cancer pain relief may improve daily life for you.
A drug pump (intrathecal drug delivery system) is designed to manage pain by delivering pain medication to the intrathecal space that surrounds the spinal cord. Because this treatment delivers pain medication directly to the receptors in the spinal cord, smaller doses of medication are required to gain relief from chronic pain.1-5
Talk to your doctor to determine what kinds of pain treatments may work for you. The choice of treatment depends on the type of pain, how severe it is, and how you respond to your pain treatment. If your doctor thinks you are a candidate for a drug pump, you can complete a screening test so that you can experience the therapy to see if you are a candidate.
Onofrio BM, Yaksh TL. Long-Term Pain Relief Produced by Intrathecal Infusion in 53 Patients. J Neurosurg 1990; 72: 200-209.
Winkelmuller M, Winkelmuller W. Long-Term Effects of Continuous Intrathecal Opioid Treatment in Chronic Pain of Nonmalignant Etiology. J Neurosurg 1996; 85: 458-467.
Paice JA, Penn RD, Shott S. Intraspinal Morphine for Chronic Pain: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study. J Pain Symptom Manage 1996; 11(2): 71-80.
Lamer TJ. Treatment of Cancer-Related Pain: When Orally Administered Medications Fail. Mayo Clin Proc 1994; 69:473-480.
Portenoy RK. Management of Common Opioid Side Effects During Long-Term Therapy of Cancer Pain. Ann Acad Med 1994; 23:160-170.
Smith TJ, Staats PS, Deer T, Randomized Clinical Trial of an Implantable Drug Delivery System Compared with Comprehensive Medical Management for Refractory Cancer Pain: Impact on Pain, Drug-Related Toxicity and Survival. J Clin Oncol. 2002;20:4040-4049.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.