Why will ITB Therapy work when oral baclofen does not?
Baclofen needs to reach the GABA receptors found mainly on the back of the spinal cord to exert its anti-spasticity effect. Taking baclofen orally in tablet form means that the drug needs to enter the bloodstream via the stomach and circulate until it crosses through the covering membrane (blood-brain barrier) that surrounds the CSF surrounding the spinal cord. Because of the chemical nature and structure of the baclofen molecule, crossing the blood-brain barrier is not easy. It requires the child to take large oral doses to achieve a small clinical effect. These large doses often lead to unpleasant side-effects.
