End of Life Care | Specialist care | Intrathecal drug delivery

Intrathecal drug delivery
Session overview
Description
This session provides an overview of intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) for the management of cancer pain. It aims to enhance the understanding of which patients may benefit from this approach and the principles which govern the safe use of ITDD systems.

This session was last reviewed by Alison Mitchell and Richard Kitchen in November 2021.

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• describe the rationale for intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) for the management of cancer pain including relevant anatomy, physiology and pharmacology
• discuss the assessment of patients for ITDD including the indications and contraindications for ITDD systems
• recognise the different types of ITDD systems used in the management of cancer pain
• identify the possible complications of ITDD in patients with cancer pain
• describe the on-going management and end of life care options for patients with an ITDD in situ

Before commencing this session you should:

• have a sound knowledge of the management of cancer related complex pain