Ask the Pharmacist: Pain Pumps

Question:

When is it appropriate to use a pump for pain relief?

Answer:

Every drug therapy has risks and benefits. It is generally considered appropriate to utilize a drug therapy whenever the benefits of therapy outweigh the risks. Unfortunately, there is no standard guideline for determining appropriate candidates for Implanted Intrathecal Delivery Systems (IDDS, aka pain pump). A review of some recent literature indicates IDDS should only be considered in chronic pain patients meeting one or more of the following criteria:

Please send your questions to AskThePharmacist@cvty.com

Kim DuBrueler, B.A., PharmD., RPh, is a Clinical Pharmacist within Coventry's pharmacy benefit management program, First Script. She joined Coventry in early 2011, bringing with her experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, as well as retail pharmacy. She is involved in keeping up on industry wide research and trends in the pharmacy sector, authoring pharmacy bulletins and client newsletters, white papers, presentations and educational webinars. Kim has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Colgate University, a doctorate in pharmacy from Temple University, and is currently a member of the ACOEM Opioids Panel tasked with developing updated opioid utilization guidelines.