Intrathecal pump is another way to deliver medications.  A catheter is inserted in your spine; the pump is placed underneath your skin in the abdomen area.  The pump delivers medications through the catheter directly to your spine, where the medications needs to go.  This eliminates having to take medication by mouth or through the skin.

When you take a medication by mouth or via skin, the medication needs to go through your stomach or skin, enter the blood stream, and then ultimately to your nerves in the spinal cord.  Therefore, your brain, gut, liver, etc. gets exposed to the medication.  This can lead to side effects, such as constipation, sedation, decreased cognitive function, etc.  With the pump, the body is exposed to less medications, because the medication delivered directly to the spine.

For more information:

    medtronic.com