Neuraxial (epidural and intrathecal) opioids for intractable pain

Summary Points 1. Neuraxial opioids are considered for use in patients who have resistant intractable pain that fails to respond to other treatment options or pain that responds to analgesia but for which the doses required result in unacceptable side-effects. 2. Neuraxial opiods can be considered for both chronic non-malignant pain and chronic cancer related pain. 3. Effectiveness in chroni…