Reducing Intrathecal Baclofen Related Infections: Service Evaluation and Best Practice Guidelines.

Objectives: Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pumps are an effective treatment for spasticity; however infection rates have been reported in 3-26% of patients in the literature. The multidisciplinary ITB service has been established at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH, Queen Square, London for over 20 years. Our study was designed to clarify the rate of infection in our ITB patient cohort and secondly, to formulate and implement best practice guidelines and to determine prospectively, whether they effectively reduced infection rates.

Intrathecal baclofen for multiple sclerosis related spasticity: A twenty year experience.

Objective: Evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of ITB in treating MS-related spasticity over ∼ 20 years of service provision in a single centre.

Methods: A single centre prospective observational cohort study was performed. Eligible subjects underwent ITB trial by bolus dose via lumbar puncture and responders proceeded to pump implantation.