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duckski44 avatar

Intrathecal Pain Pump

Chronic Pain | Last Active: Dec 24, 2025 | Replies (120)

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Profile picture for bilt4pain @bilt4pain

@dcanada54
I’m facing a TKR as soon as I schedule it. Not ready for an overnight hospital stay. No complications at all from first or second pump. Anytime you have your abdomen sliced open, pump, appendix, hernia etc they caution you against lifting heavy objects, especially in front of you for fear of busting I stitch inside.
However, after rereading your post it seems your pain is from your knee? And will be worse after surgery. I’m guessing your pain doc said no and has told you the pump is for spinal related chronic pain and doesn’t give you systemic pain relief. I don’t think they make localized pain pumps, like they do with Spinal Cord Stimulators (SCS). Got one of those as well. I do believe they have very small units that (I believe go in the back neck and connect to the brain) that can be implanted in various areas. I think they have one for neuropathy. So there might be a knee version of an SCS, but only used for moderate to severe chronic pain, not post operative pain. Hope that helped?

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Replies to "@dcanada54 I’m facing a TKR as soon as I schedule it. Not ready for an overnight..."

@bilt4pain Unfortunately I’ve already had my left done. It left me in more pain than before surgery, three years out my primary physician referred me to an allergist for metal and resin testing. My results were an allergy to the bone cement. Trying to find an orthopedic with any knowledge concerning this allergy is dang near impossible. Current orthopedist is a professor of orthopedics at Duke University. He did not do my original TKR but he’s the only one who’s tried to help me. If I have the revision it will be his first surgery in someone with the allergy, he’s also told me I may be in more pain than I am now. When they go over problems that occur with TKR surgery never was an allergic reaction to the metal or bone cement mentioned. It’s very rare or people just aren’t aware that testing is available. I spoke with the pain management doctor yesterday, he doesn’t do the procedure but said all methods for pain relief has to be exhausted before a person can have this done. Been in pain management for years but don’t know the criteria for being considered. Hope your TKR goes well, most have no problems.