What is an implantable pain pump?
The use of an implantable pain pump to deliver medications directly to the spinal cord was first used in 1981 for cancer pain. Since then, the intrathecal pain pump has been used for chronic non-cancer pain such as: Failed back surgery, Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord pain, and Cerebral Palsy.

For patients suffering from chronic spinal cord pain, or spasticity, conservative therapies often provide little relief. Fortunately, an implantable pain pump can often make a difference.

What are the benefits of an implantable pain pump?
Because the intrathecal pain pump allows drugs to be delivered directly where the pain signals travel, implantable pain pumps can offer significant pain relief using a fraction of the dose required by oral pain medications. This helps minimize side effects like sedation, fatigue, nausea and constipation. In addition, patients do not have to worry about forgetting to take medication since the pain pump is programmed to administer the correct dosage at the appropriate time. Proper pain management can reduce many of the consequences of untreated pain, improving your quality of life, and allowing you to participate in daily activities that may have become difficult.

What should I know about the pain pump procedure?
Once it has been determined that a patient is an appropriate candidate for an intrathecal pain pump, a trial is conducted. This allows pain management doctors to determine the effectiveness of the pain pump for each patient before it is ever implanted. The pain pump trial does not require surgery but does involve inserting a catheter into the epidural space or spinal fluid near the patient’s spinal cord. The length of time the pain pump trial period lasts depends on your doctor’s preference. During the pain pump trial, your pain relief is determined and any side effects are documented and treated. If the pain pump trial is successful, you and your doctor will discuss when the pain pump should be implanted. The pain pump is implanted surgically under the skin in the abdomen area. It can be refilled through the skin using a needle and syringe. The pain pump is about the size of a hockey puck and is encased in a round metal container. Inside the pain pump are the drug reservoir, battery, antenna and microprocessor. A small silicone rubber catheter is then tunneled under the skin from the pain pump to the drug delivery site. You are usually asleep for the procedure, and it takes about one to two hours.

Using an external programmer, physicians can adjust medication dosage. These instructions are sent via radio waves, from the programmer to the microprocessor inside the pain pump. The pain pump can be set to deliver a continuous flow of medication, or can be programmed to deliver more medication during those times of the day that you hurt most.

For additional information on intrathecal pain pumps, please call Southeast Pain Care to schedule an appointment with one of our pain management doctors.