Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A Comparison of Refill Procedures and Patient Outcomes Following Ultrasound-Guided and Template-Guided Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems With Recessed Ports.
Intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDS) are refilled using templates and palpation. The 2017 Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference recommends ultrasound only when reservoir ports are difficult to identify. The purpose of this study was to compare procedural outcomes and patient's preference for refill method of IDDS. ⋯ Patients preferred ultrasound even though it lengthened the duration of refills compared to template-guided procedures. Fewer patients experienced procedural pain with ultrasound compared with template-guided refills. No safety issues were observed in either group.