What Is a Drug Pump?

Unlike medications that circulate throughout your body in your bloodstream, drug delivery therapy releases medication directly to the fluid in your spinal canal (also known as the intrathecal space), which may lead to fewer or more tolerable side effects.^1-6

SynchroMed II Drug Pump

About the Drug Delivery System

The system consists of a pump and catheter. The pump is a round device that stores and delivers pain medication. It is surgically placed in your abdomen. The catheter (a thin, flexible tube) is surgically inserted into your spine and connected to the pump.

During the surgery, your doctor fills the pump with pain medication using a needle. The pump sends the medication through the catheter to the spinal area where pain receptors are located. You return to your doctor for more medicine when the pump needs to be refilled.

How It Works

The pump releases prescribed amounts of pain medication through the catheter directly to the fluid around the spinal cord, in an area called the intrathecal space.

Many people experience significant improvement in their pain symptoms and quality of life after receiving Medtronic drug delivery therapy. However, realistic expectations are essential to satisfaction with any pain treatment. Drug delivery therapy cannot eliminate the source of your pain or cure any underlying disease, but it may help you to better manage your pain.

Advantages Over Other Therapies

Drug delivery therapy offers advantages over other therapies for chronic cancer pain:

A screening test serves as a temporary evaluation period so you can see if drug delivery therapy relieves your pain before having the pump implanted
The system can be turned off or surgically removed if you decide to pursue a different treatment
Unlike oral medication, drug delivery therapy releases medication directly into the fluid in the spinal canal rather than traveling throughout your body in your bloodstream. This may lead to fewer side effects, such as nausea and constipation
Drug delivery therapy may provide relief when other treatments (such as oral medication or injections) have not

Our Products

Medtronic offers the SynchroMed^® II drug delivery system for managing chronic cancer pain. The system includes:

Programmable drug pump – A battery-powered device that stores and dispenses medicine according to instructions programmed by your doctor
Catheter – A thin, flexible tube that carries the medication from the pump to the intrathecal space of the spine
Physician programmer – A computer at your doctor's office that lets your doctor tailor your therapy to best meet your needs
Personal therapy manager – A handheld patient control device called myPTM^® that allows you to receive an extra dose of medication (within physician-set parameters) in response to breakthrough pain

What Patients Say

Watch this video to learn more about drug delivery therapy and hear the stories of those who manage their cancer pain with this therapy.

References

Onofrio BM, Yaksh TL. Long-Term Pain Relief Produced by Intrathecal Infusion in 53 Patients. J Neurosurg 1990; 72: 200-209.
Lamer TJ. Treatment of Cancer-Related Pain: When Orally Administered Medications Fail. Mayo Clin Proc 1994; 69:473-480.
Portenoy RK. Management of Common Opioid Side Effects During Long-Term Therapy of Cancer Pain. Ann Acad Med 1994; 23:160-170.
Ruan X. Drug-related side effects of long-term intrathecal morphine therapy. Pain Physician. 2007;10:357-366.
Smith TJ, Swainey C, Coyne PJ. Pain management, including intrathecal pumps. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2005;9:243-248.
Winkelmüller M, Winkelmüller W. Long-term effects of continuous intrathecal opioid treatment of chronic pain of nonmalignant etiology. J Neurosurg. 1996;85:458-467.

Next: SynchroMed II Drug Pump

Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.

Last updated: 9 Dec 2011