Intrathecal Drug Delivery Expert Witness

Intrathecal pumps deliver medication directly into the spinal fluid. Mistakes in choosing candidates, placing the catheter, dosing, or refilling the pump can cause serious harm. Pumps also come up as future-care items in catastrophic injury cases.

Common issues

Patient selection and trialing

Catheter placement and catheter-related complications

Dosing, refill, and programming errors; withdrawal and overdose

Post-dural puncture headache and its management

Long-term maintenance and replacement

Relevant publications by Dr. Urits

Urits I, Petro J, Viswanath O, Aner M. Retrograde placement of an intrathecal catheter for chronic low pelvic cancer pain. J Clin Anesth. 2019.

Berger AA, Urits I, et al. Caudal epidural blood patch for the treatment of persistent post-dural puncture headache following intrathecal pump placement in a patient with lumbar instrumentation. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2021.

Sun C, …, Urits I, et al. Intrathecal Morphine Delivery at Cisterna Magna to Control Refractory Cancer-Related Pain: A Prospective Cohort Study. Psychopharmacol Bull. 2020.