What is Intrathecal Pain Pump Insertion?

Intrathecal pain pump insertion is a procedure to help with pain management. A small pump will be inserted in your body. The pump will be able to deliver pain medicine to the area around your spinal cord.

This pain management technique is often only used if noninvasive pain management has failed or has negative side effects. An intrathecal pain pump can be used to manage long term pain problems caused by:

• Failed back or neck surgery syndrome
• Compression fractures
• Phantom limb pain
• Cancer
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy —nervous system disease
• Causalgia —burning pain due to peripheral nerve injury
• Arachnoiditis—inflammation of the spinal nerves
• Chronic pancreatitis —inflammation of the pancreas

Many people have a significant reduction in pain and are better able to function in daily life after having an intrathecal pain pump insertion.

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Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a pump inserted, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Spinal headaches
• Catheter tube becomes blocked and stops working
• Side effects from the pain medicine
• Pump-related complications
• Nerve injury

Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Psychological problems
• Active infection
• Allergy or intolerance to the pain medicine or materials being used
• Bleeding disorders, concurrent anticoagulation therapy

Call Your Doctor

After arriving home, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Redness, swelling, pain, or discharge around...