Pain Pump delivers medication directly injured spinal cord

Doug Landau

Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 610

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What is a pain pump?

A pain pump is designed to deliver medication directly to the surgical wound site or in close proximity to the nerves associated with the surgical area for post-operative pain management. According to the Mayfield Clinic, the pain pump infuses the medication at an hourly flow rate or combination of an hourly flow rate and controlled doses.

Intrathecal drug delivery, or “pain pump,” is a method of giving medication directly to your spinal cord. The system uses a small pump that is surgically placed under the skin of the stomach and delivers medication through a catheter to the area around the spinal cord – similar to an epidural that women may have during childbirth.

A pain pump may be a treatment option if all other traditional methods have failed to relieve an injured victims long-term symptoms. Because the medication is delivered directly to the spinal cord, a patient with a back injury's symptoms can be controlled with a much smaller dose than is needed with oral medication. The goal of a drug pump is to better control symptoms and to reduce oral medications; thus reducing their associated side effects.

We have seen clients, especially from automobile accidents or falls from a great height, with stomach problems from strong pain medications, including ulcers and uneven pain control. Sometimes, the direct delivery of a pain pump or spine stimulator can bypass the stomach and avoid these problems and side effects.