Intrathecal Therapy refers to the delivery of medication directly into a patient’s spinal fluid in order to bypass the blood-brain barrier. Often, this is accomplished with the implantation of a pump – a device which holds a reservoir of medication which can deliver a controlled consistent dose to a patient to help control symptoms.
Two main categories of patients can stand to benefit from the implantation of an intrathecal drug-infusion pump – patients with chronic spasticity and patients with chronic pain. Patients with chronic spasticity or dystonia whose symptoms are not managed with more conservative measures, such as botox injections, can sometimes benefit from a controlled intrathecal infusion of baclofen to help reduce muscle tone. Likewise, patients with severe chronic pain who have relatively high pain medication requirements, may benefit from controlled intrathecal delivery of pain medications to help decrease their reliance on oral medications.
If you or a loved one may be a candidate for an intrathecal drug delivery device, please talk to your doctor or use our Specialist Finder to find an expert near you.