What is Baclofen Pump Therapy?
For patients who don’t respond well to oral spasticity drugs, there is intrathecal baclofen therapy, known as ITB. This involves the injection of the muscle-relaxing drug baclofen into the intrathecal space that surrounds the spinal cord. Baclofen is delivered through a pump, which is surgically implanted into the abdomen of the patient. The baclofen is pumped directly into the surrounding spinal cord fluid. When the medicine in the pump runs low — as it will every couple of months — the machine beeps and can be refilled easily by injection. The pump itself generally lasts about four years before it has to be replaced. What are the benefits of Baclofen Pump Therapy? The direct delivery method of ITB therapy is very effective. Since baclofen doesn’t have to circulate throughout the body to get to the spinal cord, smaller amounts of the drug are needed. This reduces side effects such as drowsiness. It also ensures that more of the drug actually reaches the affected nerve cells. What ar
