How Does an Intrathecal Drug Delivery System Work?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 50 million American adults experience chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months, and not surprisingly, this can sabotage your quality of life, affect your ability to work, and even contribute to depression and anxiety.

If chronic pain is making everyday life difficult and other treatments haven’t helped, an intrathecal drug delivery system (also known as a pain pump) may offer real relief. 

Pain pumps deliver polypharmacy medication  directly into the intrathecal space in your spine in order to reach special receptor sites on the spinal cord that can receive those medications. .   

The Trinity Pain Medicine Associates team offers this advanced treatment option to help you manage chronic pain more effectively and with fewer side effects.

Below, Ashley M Classen, DO, FAOCA, and Ashley Bailey-Classen, DO, MBA, FAOCA, explain how an intrathecal drug delivery system works, when you might consider it, and what to expect from your pain pump.

What is an intrathecal drug delivery system?

An intrathecal drug delivery system is a small, implanted device that delivers medication directly into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the spinal cord. (Your intrathecal space is the fluid-filled area that surrounds your spinal cord, hence the name.)

By targeting pain receptors at its source, it uses a much smaller dose than oral medications, while often providing better and longer-lasting relief.

The system includes:

• A small pump implanted under your skin, usually under the skin of your abdomen
• A thin catheter that carries medication from the pump to your spinal fluid

Once in place, the pump delivers medication at a steady rate—or can be programmed for specific times—depending on your needs. It can also be programmed to allow you to be in charge of medication boluses if you have a more painful time after activities.  It gives you back your autonomy with respect to your pain control. 

How does the pain pump help?

Because the medication goes straight to your spinal cord, it acts faster and more effectively than pills, which have to travel through your digestive system first. This direct delivery means:

• Lower doses are needed to get results
• Fewer side effects like drowsiness, nausea, or constipation
• Better pain control for conditions like failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), or severe nerve pain

While your specific results vary, most people find the relief they need with the intrathecal drug delivery system. According to a study published in Neuromodulation, 94% of people with pain pumps experienced improved pain relief.

What is the process like?

Before Dr. Classen and Dr. Bailey-Classen, a quadruple board-certified interventional pain management specialist, move forward with a permanent pain pump, they typically perform a trial to make sure it works well for your pain. If the trial is successful, you’ll have a short procedure to place the pump and catheter.

Most people take antibiotics before their pump is implanted to reduce the risk of infection at the implant site.

After surgery, we’ll program the device to fit your treatment plan, and you’ll come in for follow-ups to ensure everything is working smoothly and to refill the reservoir (approximately every three months). 

Is a pain pump right for you?

An intrathecal pain pump may be a good option if:

• You’ve tried multiple pain treatments without success
• Oral medications aren’t effective or cause too many side effects
• You have chronic pain from non-cancer conditions like nerve injury spinal disorders (this accounts for 66.9% of people using pain pumps)
• You have chronic pain related to cancer (this accounts for 21.6% of people using pain pumps).  It allows you more freedom to go about a normal life with only slight modifications in your activities. 

Our team will carefully evaluate your condition and help you determine if this approach is suitable for your needs and goals.

Get personalized pain management at Trinity Pain Medicine Associates

Chronic pain doesn’t have to control your life. At Trinity Pain Medicine Associates, we’re committed to finding the safest and most effective solutions for each person we treat, including advanced options such as intrathecal drug delivery systems.  Our motto is “A Difference in Treatment; A Difference in Life”.

Ready to explore a better way to manage pain? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and see if a pain pump is right for you.

You can also reach the Trinity Pain Medicine Associates team by phone at 817-332-3664.