Open Access(207) A Prospective Study of Catheter‐Related Complications of Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems
Author(s) -
Follett Kenneth A.,
Naumann Claus P.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
pain medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.893
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1526-4637
pISSN - 1526-2375
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2001.pme01039-8.x
Subject(s) - medicine , catheter , surgery , prospective cohort study , complication , intrathecal , incidence (geometry) , anesthesia , implant , optics , physics
Intrathecal drug administration via implanted pump is an effective treatment for intractable pain and spasticity but can be compromised by catheter‐related complications. To determine the etiology of catheter‐related complications, we have studied prospectively the long‐term performance of a one‐piece catheter system. Data pertaining to catheter‐related complications were collected at implant and at specified times during the follow‐up period. Catheter implantation characteristics which might affect complications were assessed. Two‐hundred nine patients were studied, with 1764 cumulative patient‐months of catheter experience. Forty‐nine catheter system complications occurred in 37 patients (7 complications related to the catheter itself, and 42 complications related to the implantation procedure). The nine month complication‐free “survival” rate was 78.9% overall (95.5% for the catheter itself ). In the subset of 46 patients completing full 2‐year follow‐up, there were only two late‐onset catheter‐related complications. No specific catheter implantation characteristics were associated with the occurrence of complications. These data indicate that the incidence of complications for a one‐piece catheter system is similar to that of commercially available two‐piece systems, most complications are related to the implant procedure, and the incidence of long‐term complications is very low. The data highlight the need for careful surgical technique during implantation of drug infusion systems. (Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Science from A Prospective Study of Catheter Related Complications of Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems, by Follet KA and Naumann CP, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, volume 19, pages 209–215,