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Medtronic “MedCareLink”: send back or keep?

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WattsThat:
Druggies gotta drug. There’s not enough morphine in a pump to make it interesting for an addict but they don’t know so they try.

The reason intrathecal delivery is so effective is because the drug goes directly into the cerebral spinal fluid in the spinal cord and then enters the brain directly.

A typical cancer pain dose is 3-5 mg of morphine a day intrathecally. Orally, a patient would receive 100x that amount. The pumps can be a real game changer for the right patients. They also see use for MS patients as well to deliver baclofen and other muscle tone drugs. It’s the continuous infusion that makes the difference.

james_s:

--- Quote from: xrunner on December 10, 2022, 01:31:56 am ---How is the medicine going to get from outside the body to inside the body safely in an active person's life over a long term basis (years) without infections, tubing being torn, etc. ?

Also some of the medicines are highly controlled substances which - believe it or not - people will tamper with if the containment device is out in the open, to get at the controlled substances.

In fact, one of my mom's technicians who filled the pump said some people even tried to insert a needle into the implanted pump to extract the medicine. There is no barrier to stop an attempt to do this. Yes, that is really what some people will do.

--- End quote ---

The old fashioned approach of an IV needle is what came to mind, or absorption through the skin. Years ago one of my cats had surgery and he had a fentanyl patch taped to one of his hind legs. If someone wans to tamper with their medication device tha's on them IMO, they'll be sorry later if they use up the drug early.

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