PainCare - the leading Pain Management specialists in NH

If oral and transdermal (e.g. patch) pain medications fail or there are too many side effects, the patient might be a candidate for a trial of spinally delivered pain medications.  A spinal catheter (intrathecal/epidural) is a method for administering pain relieving medication by a very thin caliber flexible tube placed near the spine.

Medications can be administered by external or internal pump eitherepidurally (the space outside of the fluid-filled sac containing the spinal cord) or intrathecally (the space within the fluid-filled sac). Alternatively, in certain cases it is easier or more convenient for the patient to inject the catheter manually with a syringe of medication that to use a pump.

Itrathecal baclofen is used for the treatment of spasticity, especially in instances of spinal cord injury, spastic diplegia/cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and trigeminal neuralgia. It is administered in the fluid-filled sac surrounding the spinal cord (the intrathecal space).

Pain from the innumerable conditions may be alleviated by spinal catheters. This technology is reserved for those cases that are resistant to all other more conservative treatment.

• protruding or herniated discs
• severe chronic irritation of nerve roots
• failed back syndrome
• post-operative epidural scarring and fibrosis
• RSD/CRPD's

To be considered a candidate, a patient should not exhibit the following:

• intolerance to medications used for the trial
• localized infection at the implant site
• infection in the blood stream
• blood that will not clot (bleeding disorder)
• inadequate immune system