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William McK. & Marcia N.Thompson Center for Restorative Neurosurgery
Patient Care
Intrathecal Baclofen
Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) is a procedure that administers medication via an implantable pump to treat the symptoms of spasticity in patients. Other conditions that can be treated by ITB are spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, brain injury and stroke.
The medication is administered via a pump that is placed in the abdominal area. The pump is connected to a catheter that is threaded into the intrathecal space--the area around the spinal cord. The catheter is placed in the area of the spinal cord where it is most needed. The delivery of medication is being constantly infused and thus requires a much lower dose than when taken orally. The constant infusion also decreases the incidence of side effects that are encountered with taking the medication orally.
The pump needs to be refilled every two to six months. This involves an office visit and the insertion of a needle into the skin and into the pump to refill the medication.
>>Surgical Treatment
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