What is an Intrathecal Pump Implant?
An Intrathecal Pump Implant is designed to interrupt transmission of pain signals from the spinal cord to the brain. If the neuropathic pain signals do not reach the brain, then the patient does not actually feel the pain. Spinal pumps (or pain pump) delivers pain medication (typically morphine) directly to the intrathecal space around the spinal cord via an implanted pump. The pump is implanted during a surgical procedure, and medication in the pump is added periodically (e.g. monthly) by injecting medication through the skin into the pump reservoir. Spinal pumps may be used to manage chronic pain from osteoporosis or axial somatic pain (nociceptive pain), and sometimes may by used to manage pain from failed back surgery syndrome (although the efficacy for this use is unclear). Spinal pumps are also used to treat painful spasticity as is seen in multiple sclerosis. Often multiple medications are put into the pump to treat certain specific situations. That is, morphine to treat the noc
