Art, I have worked with patients who had intrathecal pumps for pain management(Morphine or Dilaudid). The surgery to place them is minor and the patient usually goes home the same day.Depending on where in the abdomen the pump is placed, the beltline can interfere,but an intelligent MD would realize this could be a problem for a man. Mention your concern about this. Refilling the pumps is also a simple procedure done in the doctor's office. Takes less than an hour. I have seen very few problems with these pumps,other than the need to increase the dose in cancer patients as their disease progressed. I know they have been very successfully used (Baclofen) in MS patients and with good results.