Efficacy of an intrathecal multidrug infusion for pain control in older adults and in end-stage malignancies: A report of three cases

Pharmacodynamics of intrathecal and epidural fadolmidine, an α2-adrenoceptor agonist, after bolus and infusion in dogs-comparison with clonidine

An α₂-adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine, is extensively used in both anesthesia and intensive care medicine. However, clonidine may produce pronounced hemodynamic side effects such as hypotension and bradycardia which may limit its usefulness in certain conditions. Fadolmidine is a potent α₂-adrenoceptor agonist with different physicochemical properties than clonidine. Here, the effects of fadolmidine and clonidine on analgesia (an increase in thermal skin twitch response latency), sedation, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature were evaluated either up to 8 h after either intrathecal or epidural bolus injections or during a 24-h continuous intrathecal infusion at equipotent analgesic doses in non-anesthetized Beagle dogs. Fadolmidine and clonidine produced a dose-dependent and equipotent maximal antinociception after intrathecal bolus injection (ED₅₀: 67 μg and 78 μg, respectively), but the duration of action of fadolmidine was more long-lasting. During the intrathecal infusion, fadolmidine achieved a good analgesic effect without evoking cardiovascular side effects, e.g., hypotension; these were evident during clonidine infusion. Epidurally, the antinociceptive potency of fadolmidine was weaker (ED₅₀: 128 μg) than when intrathecally administered and weaker than that of epidural clonidine (ED₅₀: 51 μg). At analgesic doses, fadolmidine injection induced moderate initial hypertension concomitantly with a decrease in heart rate whereas clonidine evoked hypotension and bradycardia. These results suggest that especially when non-opioid long-term pain relief is needed, an intrathecal infusion of fadolmidine can provide long-term antinociception with less of the known use-limiting adverse effects associated with clonidine.

The role of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as neostigmine and rivastigmine on chronic pain and cognitive function in aging: A review of recent clinical applications

Chronic pain in patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia is a complex issue in the medical field; these patients suffer from the common causes of chronic pain, especially in geriatric medicine. To ensure the correct type and level of given treatment, medical care should be taken to avoid the contribution of chronic pain and cognitive impairment in the elderly population. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChE-Is) have been proven as an efficient therapeutic resource for significant improvement in dementia of Alzheimer's disease and chronic pain due to the fact that cholinergic deficit is considered as an early finding in cognitive impairment and persisting pain. Some AChE-Is are investigated here in terms of treatment of dementia and chronic pain management. Neostigmine has been used as an adjunct analgesic in the postoperative period and in combination with other analgesic medications in an intrathecal approach. Rivastigmine has, over the past ten years, become the approved agent for the management of dementia of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and has gained approval for treating different types of non-Alzheimer's dementia. In this review, we will focus on the two types of AChE-Is (rivastigmine and neostigmine) in the development of their clinical use and their respective mechanisms of actions on improving cognitive function and managing chronic pain.

Palliative care with cervical intrathecal infusion and external pump for a late-stage cancer patient with refractory pain: A case report

RATIONALE

Intrathecal therapy, with a low complication rate, has become an alternative to standard pain management for treatment of neuropathic cancer pain.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Here, we reported a late-stage cancer patient with intractable neuropathic pain in his right neck, shoulder, and upper limb.

DIAGNOSES

The pain started 2 years ago when the patient was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma with metastasis to right supraclavicular lymph nodes.

INTERVENTIONS

Cervical intrathecal infusion of morphine and bupivacaine with patient control analgesia by external pump was performed. The intrathecal catheter was located at the level of C6 vertebra. The initial concentration of bupivacaine and morphine were both 1 mg/mL with infusion rate of 0.3 mL/h and bolus of 0.3 mL. Subsequently, the concentrations increased to 2 mg/mL (bupivacaine) and 1.33 mg/mL (morphine), with infusion rate to 0.6 mL/h and bolus to 0.5 ml.

OUTCOMES

The pain intensity decreased from numerical rating scale 6 to 7 to 2 to 3 at rest, and from 10 to 5 to 6 of breakthrough pain.

LESSONS

In conclusion, cervical intrathecal infusion requires low concentration but high doses of bupivacaine and morphine, which is safe and effective in cancer patients with refractory pain and short life expectancy.

CE: Intrathecal Pumps for Managing Cancer Pain

: It is estimated that more than 1.6 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2014. Among patients with cancer, moderate to severe pain is prevalent and can be refractory, even with the use of systemic opioids, which may cause adverse effects that are difficult to manage at the doses required to control pain. When delivered intrathecally, however, opioids and adjuvant analgesics may provide greater pain relief at dramatically lower doses and with fewer adverse effects. Although the use of intrathecal drug delivery systems for cancer pain management has increased dramatically over the past several years and is expected to continue growing, patients with intrathecal pumps often report interactions with nurses unfamiliar with the technology. This article provides an overview of intrathecal pump therapy and explains how it prolongs duration of action and improves the efficacy of certain analgesics while reducing their adverse effects. The author discusses the costs involved, the patients most likely to derive benefit, the types of pumps currently used in the United States, the medications that can be delivered intrathecally, the potential risks and complications associated with intrathecal therapy, and the nursing care required by patients who use an intrathecal pump.