A Case report of a continuous ambulatory drug delivery (CADD) pump to deliver opioid agonist treatment in an acute care setting

BACKGROUND: People with substance use disorder are at risk of complications of drug use and frequent hospitalization and may continue to use substances during admission to acute care. Acute care harm reduction strategies including oral or injectable prescription opioids may aid in care retention and improve health outcomes in this patient population. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old woman with refractory opioid use disorder was admitted to hospital for management of dysphagia secondary to esophageal stricture. She received injectable opioid agonist therapy using a continuous ambulatory drug delivery (CADD) pump in order to facilitate completion of her hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: The patient successfully received acute medical care with the use of a CADD pump for consistent, patient-controlled opioid administration, with the support of an interdisciplinary team and by respecting the patient’s own substance use goals.