Fully implantable devices or drug-device combinations, such as intrathecal drug delivery (DD) systems and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems, increasingly are used for the treatment of chronic intractable pain. Another approved indication for intrathecal DD systems is the administration of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) to treat medically intractable spasticity of spinal or cerebral origin. Although patients with cancer, spinal cord injuries, or cerebral palsy have a reduced life expectancy, the majority of intrathecal drug administration devices - and nearly all SCS devices - are implanted in patients with painful non-cancer-related disorders that are associated with a normal life span. Therefore, long-term implantable devices used for the treatment of pain and spasticity should have a relatively benign safety record. Device-related infection is the most common, potentially reducible, serious adverse event associated with intrathecal DD or SCS devices.