How do I know if intrathecal drug delivery (IDD) will work for me?
Your doctor will perform a test allowing you to see if IDD works before you decide whether to have the operation. The test can be done as an outpatient or you may be admitted for a short hospital stay. Testing can be done in two ways. You can either have one injection or several injections of a small amount of pain relieving medicine into the intrathecal space. Or, you can have a continuous injection of pain relieving medicine through a temporary tube placed in the intrathecal space and attached to an external pump. You may stay in the hospital or you may return home with the external pump for several days or weeks. Your doctor will also carry out a psychological assessment. As chronic pain involves both your mind and body, it is very important to see if there are any psychological aspects of the pain that need to be treated.
