Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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There is a need to develop alternative agents for intrathecal pain therapy for patients who either cannot tolerate the side effects of or who no longer obtain sufficient analgesia with opioids. The experimental use of several compounds in intrathecal drug delivery is currently in progress, with the development of clonidine as the single most important advance in the improvement of pain treatment. ⋯ Other possible effective agents for intrathecal delivery include bupivacaine, octreotide, and SNX-111. The preclinical and clinical profiles for these promising new intrathecal pain medications are discussed.
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Due to successful use of intrathecal drug delivery in the management of refractory pain and spasticity, new agents and indications are now being investigated. Preclinical studies of neurotrophic factors, molecules necessary for neuroneal survival and development, suggest that these agents may be beneficial for patients with neurologic disorders. ⋯ Treatment of other neurologic disorders, such as brain tumors and HIV-related viral infections, also may be optimized by methods of local drug delivery, including intratumoral and intraparenchymal administration of potentially effective agents. Intraspinal, intratumoral, and intraparenchymal routes of administration are speculated to become critical components of treatment for a variety of neurological indications.
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Spasticity can affect individuals with spinal injury, spinal disease, or multiple sclerosis. In most cases, spasticity is useful because it helps compensate for motor deficits. Oral medication is ineffective or produces intolerable side effects in ≅ 30% of patients with severe spasticity and surgeries can sometimes have effects inappropriate for patients requiring some degree of spasticity for function. ⋯ Although complications are relatively uncommon, most involve mechanical compromise of the catheter. Cost analysis shows that there is an overall savings associated with intrathecal baclofen therapy, primarily due to a reduction in required hospitalizations and medical care for conditions resulting from spasticity. Intrathecal baclofen is a safe, efficacious, titratable, reversible, and cost-effective treatment for severe spinal origin spasticity, including spinal cord injury, spinal cord disease, and multiple sclerosis.
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Objective. For patients with refractory angina pectoris, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a beneficial and safe adjuvant therapy. However, it has not yet been established whether SCS alters the quality of life (QoL) in these patients. ⋯ QoL in patients with refractory angina pectoris is poor. Both pain and health aspects of QoL improved significantly after 3 months of SCS. Social, mental, and physical aspects of QoL were found improved after 1 year of SCS.