01.08.5 Intrathecal

Intrathecal is injection into the cerebral spinal fluid; Figure 1.7.

Figure 1.7 Difference between intrathecal and epidural injection (Copyright QUT, Sheila Doggrell)

Intrathecal is a method for direct delivery of a drug to the central nervous system. Intrathecal is used with local anaesthetics to give spinal/regional anaesthesia, often prior to perform operations on low limbs.

The opioid µ-receptors that mediate pain are in the spinal cord. Drugs that are administered to the cerebral spinal fluid are being delivered to this site of pain mediation. Thus, the intrathecal route of administration can be used with the opioid agonist morphine to give good pain relief.