Spasticity & Muscle Spasms : Baclofen Pumps

Research Papers & Information on the Intrathecal Baclofen Pump & Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy (ITB)

The following information has been gathered about Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy and the use of the baclofen pump in treating severe muscle spasms to improve the quality of life in patients. The copyright of all information remains the property of the respective authors.

Intrathecal baclofen withdrawal syndrome- a life-threatening complication of baclofen pump: A case report

Abstract

Background: Intrathecal baclofen pump has been used effectively with increasing frequency in patients with severe spasticity, particularly for those patients who are unresponsive to conservative pharmacotherapy or develop intolerable side effects at therapeutic doses of oral baclofen. Drowsiness, nausea, headache, muscle weakness, light-headedness and return of pretreatment spasticity can be caused by intrathecal pump delivering an incorrect dose of baclofen. Intrathecal baclofen withdrawal syndrome is a very rare, potentially life-threatening complication of baclofen pump caused by an abrupt cessation of intrathecal baclofen.

Case presentation: A 24-year-old man with a past medical history of cerebral palsy and spastic quadriparesis developed hyperthermia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, rhabdomyolysis, acute renal failure and multisystem organ failure leading to a full-blown intrathecal baclofen withdrawal syndrome. Intrathecal baclofen pump analysis revealed that it was stopped due to some programming error. He was treated effectively with supportive care, high-dose benzodiazepines and reinstitution of baclofen pump.

Conclusion: The episodes of intrathecal baclofen withdrawal syndrome are mostly caused by preventable human errors or pump malfunction. Educating patients and their caregivers about the syndrome, and regular check-up of baclofen pump may decrease the incidence of intrathecal baclofen withdrawal syndrome. Oral baclofen replacement may not be an effective method to treat or prevent intrathecal baclofen withdrawal syndrome. Management includes an early recognition of syndrome, proper intensive care management, high-dose benzodiazepines and prompt analysis of intrathecal pump with reinstitution of baclofen.

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Effect of intrathecal baclofen delivered by an implanted programmable pump on health related quality of life in patients with severe spasticity.

OBJECTIVES: To compare clinical effectiveness and health related quality of life in patients with severe spasticity who received intrathecal baclofen or a placebo.

METHODS: In a double blind, randomised, multicentre trial 22 patients were followed up during 13 weeks and subsequently included in a 52 week observational longitudinal study. Patients were those with chronic, disabling spasticity who did not respond to maximum doses of oral baclofen, dantrolene, and tizanidine. After implantation of a programmable pump patients were randomly assigned to placebo or baclofen infusion for 13 weeks. After 13 weeks all patients received baclofen. Clinical efficacy was assessed by the Ashworth scale, spasm score, and self reported pain, and health related quality of life by the sickness impact profile (SIP) and the Hopkins symptom checklist (HSCL).

RESULTS: At three months the scores of the placebo and baclofen group differed slightly for the spasm score (effect size=0.20) and substantially for the Ashworth scale (effect size=1.40) and pain score (effect size=0.94); health related quality of life showed no significant differences. Three months after implantation the baclofen group showed a significant, substantial improvement on the SIP "physical health", "mental health", "mobility", and "sleep and rest" subscales and on the HSCL mental health scale; patients receiving placebo showed no change. After one year of baclofen treatment significant (P<0.05) improvement was found on the SIP dimensions "mobility" and "body care and movement" with moderate effect sizes. Improvement on the SIP subscale "physical health" (P<0.05; effect size 0.86), the SIP overall score (without "ambulation"), and the "physical health" and overall scale of the HSCL was also significant, with effect sizes >0.80. Changes in health related behaviour were noted for "sleep and rest" and "recreation and pastimes" (P<0.01, P<0.05; effect size 0.95 and 0.63, respectively). Psychosocial behaviour showed no improvement.

CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal baclofen delivered by an implanted, programmable pump resulted in improved self reported quality of life as assessed by the SIP, and HSCL physical health dimensions also suggest improvement.
(J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1997;63:204-209)

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Bladder stones - red herring for resurgence of spasticity in a spinal cord injury patient with implantation of Medtronic Synchromed pump for intrathecal delivery of baclofen - a case report.

BACKGROUND: Increased spasms in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, whose spasticity was previously well controlled with intrathecal baclofen therapy, are due to (in order of frequency) drug tolerance, increased stimulus, low reservoir volume, catheter malfunction, disease progression, human error, and pump mechanical failure. We present a SCI patient, in whom bladder calculi acted as red herring for increased spasticity whereas the real cause was spontaneous extrusion of catheter from intrathecal space.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 44-year-old male sustained a fracture of C5/6 and incomplete tetraplegia at C-8 level. Medtronic Synchromed pump for intrathecal baclofen therapy was implanted 13 months later to control severe spasticity. The tip of catheter was placed at T-10 level. The initial dose of baclofen was 300 micrograms/day of baclofen, administered by a simple continuous infusion. During a nine-month period, he required increasing doses of baclofen (875 micrograms/day) to control spasticity. X-ray of abdomen showed multiple radio opaque shadows in the region of urinary bladder. No malfunction of the pump was detected. Therefore, increased spasticity was attributed to bladder stones. Electrohydraulic lithotripsy of bladder stones was carried out successfully. Even after removal of bladder stones, this patient required further increases in the dose of intrathecal baclofen (950, 1050, 1200 and then 1300 micrograms/day). Careful evaluation of pump-catheter system revealed that the catheter had extruded spontaneously and was lying in the paraspinal space at L-4, where the catheter had been anchored before it entered the subarachnoid space. A new catheter was passed into the subarachnoid space and the tip of catheter was located at T-8 level. The dose of intrathecal baclofen was decreased to 300 micrograms/day.

CONCLUSION: Vesical calculi acted as red herring for resurgence of spasticity. The real cause for increased spasms was spontaneous extrusion of whole length of catheter from subarachnoid space. Repeated bending forwards and straightening of torso for pressure relief and during transfers from wheel chair probably contributed to spontaneous extrusion of catheter from spinal canal in this patient.

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Use of intrathecal baclofen for treatment of spasticity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Baclofen, an agonist of -amino butyric acid, is one of the most effective drugs in the treatment of spastic movement disorders.

However, higher oral dosages required for sufficient spasticity control are related to intolerable central side effects. In this situation, continuous intrathecal application of baclofen in microgram dosages has proved its efficacy in numerous series of patients with spasticity of cerebral or spinal origin.1–3 Nevertheless, the use of intrathecally administered baclofen in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, representing the most common degenerative motor neuron disease in adult life,4 has been mentioned in only one short communication.5 In this context our experience with intrathecal baclofen therapy is worth presenting. These two patients are the only ones we have treated in this manner and both experienced a marked improvement in their quality of life.

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Treatments for spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the commonest neurological conditions of young adults in the Western world, with an estimated 58,000–63,000 people with the disease in England and Wales. Pain and spasticity are two of the commonest symptoms from which people with MS suffer. A recent survey of members by the MS Society found that 54% reported pain as a current symptom and 74% spasticity. The importance of these symptoms is not simply because of their frequency, but also because of the impact they have on daily life. As the disease progresses, so does the spasticity, resulting in muscle spasms, immobility, disturbed sleep and pain. Disability resulting from spasticity can lead to patients requiring extensive nursing care.

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Spasticity & Muscle Spasms : Baclofen Pumps