• Timothy R Deer, Robert Levy, Joshua Prager, Eric Buchser, Allen Burton, David Caraway, Michael Cousins, José De Andrés, Sudhir Diwan, Michael Erdek, Eric Grigsby, Marc Huntoon, Marilyn S Jacobs, Philip Kim, Krishna Kumar, Michael Leong, Liong Liem, Gladstone C McDowell, Sunil Panchal, Richard Rauck, Michael Saulino, B Todd Sitzman, Peter Staats, Michael Stanton-Hicks, Lisa Stearns, Mark Wallace, K Dean Willis, William Witt, Tony Yaksh, and Nagy Mekhail.
• Center for Pain Relief, Charleston, WV 25301, USA. doctdeer@aol.com
• Neuromodulation. 2012 Sep 1;15(5):467-82; discussion 482.

IntroductionTargeted intrathecal drug infusion to treat moderate to severe chronic pain has become a standard part of treatment algorithms when more conservative options fail. This therapy is well established in the literature, has shown efficacy, and is an important tool for the treatment of both cancer and noncancer pain; however, it has become clear in recent years that intrathecal drug delivery is associated with risks for serious morbidity and mortality.MethodsThe Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference is a meeting of experienced implanting physicians who strive to improve care in those receiving implantable devices. Employing data generated through an extensive literature search combined with clinical experience, this work group formulated recommendations regarding awareness, education, and mitigation of the morbidity and mortality associated with intrathecal therapy to establish best practices for targeted intrathecal drug delivery systems.ResultsBest practices for improved patient care and outcomes with targeted intrathecal infusion are recommended to minimize the risk of morbidity and mortality. Areas of focus include respiratory depression, infection, granuloma, device-related complications, endocrinopathies, and human error. Specific guidance is given with each of these issues and the general use of the therapy.ConclusionsTargeted intrathecal drug delivery systems are associated with risks for morbidity and mortality that can be devastating. The panel has given guidance to treating physicians and healthcare providers to reduce the incidence of these problems and to improve outcomes when problems occur.© 2012 International Neuromodulation Society.

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