Loss of effectiveness with an implanted drug delivery system for intrathecal pain therapy due to corrosion.

Introduction: Intrathecal drug delivery is an established invasive treatment option. Most common complication is catheter malfunction, which can lead to overdose or withdrawal.

Case Presentation: A 61-year-old female patient underwent an elective replacement of an intrathecal drug delivery pump. The patient complained about a loss of effectiveness over the past 2 years. Intraoperatively, a white mass corresponding to morphine precipitation in the pump pocket was found, which appeared to be due to corrosion at the pump-catheter connection site.

Conclusions: Recommendations on how to deal with the decreasing effectiveness of intrathecal drug delivery and on intraoperative catheter handling are provided.