Comparison between celiac plexus block and morphine treatment on quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer pain

Twenty-one patients with pancreatic cancer pain were studied to evaluate the effectiveness of celiac plexus block (CPB) on pain relief and quality of life (QOL), compared to the traditional NSAID-morphine treatment. The criteria were morphine consumption, visual analogue pain scale (VAS), performance status (PS) determined by medical and nursing staffs, and answers to QOL questionnaires. Morphine consumption, VAS, PS, and self-assessed QOL scores were taken when the administration of morphine was necessary for pain relief and those scores were used as control. Morphine consumption and the VAS score were recorded at regular weekly intervals and the PS and QOL scores were measured every 2 weeks thereafter. CPB was performed within 2-3 days after the control measurement. The VAS scores of the patients receiving CPB (n = 10) were statistically lower for the first 4 weeks after the procedure than those of the patients receiving the standard NSAID-morphine treatment (n = 11) during the same time period after the control measurement. Morphine consumption was significantly lower in weeks 4-7 (inclusive) following the procedure in the CPB group and continued to be lower thereafter, though not significantly so. Although the PS score slightly improved at the 2nd week after CPB, it was not improved by the start of the NSAID-morphine treatment. Self-assessed QOL scores did not ameliorate statistically after CPB; however, they did deteriorate remarkably in the patients treated only with morphine-NSAID during their survival periods, while they deteriorated only slightly in the CPB group. There were fewer side effects after CPB. These results indicate CPB does not directly improve QOL in patients with pancreatic cancer pain, but it may prevent deterioration in QOL by the long-lasting analgesic effect, limitation of side effects and the reduction of morphine consumption, compared to treatment only with NSAID-morphine.

Unilateral celiac plexus block

Two hundred patients with upper-abdominal malignancy were treated with oral morphine sulfate (OMS) during a 2-year period. Twenty-five of these patients experienced left-sided dragging pain and epigastric discomfort following a few months of adequate pain relief. An increase in the OMS did not relieve the pain. A unilateral left-sided neurolytic celiac plexus block with 20 mL of 50% alcohol was performed using a classical posterior percutaneous approach. This adjuvant technique yielded complete pain relief until death (15-75 days) in 22 patients. All of these patients continued to receive OMS without reduction in dose. Three patients required repeat block after 90 days. This experience documents the value of unilateral celiac plexus block as an adjuvant technique for the management of pain due to upper abdominal cancer.

[Left splanchicectomy with videothoracoscopy for the control of pain in cancer of the esophagogastric union with invasion of the celiac plexus]

Blockade of the celiac plexus and the splanchnic nerves to combat abdominal pain can be achieved by percutaneous injection of local anesthetics or alcohol, or by thoracotomy. We describe the technique for performing splanchnicectomy with video-thoracoscopy in palliative surgery for cancer of the esophagogastric union, discussing the excellent results obtained immediately in 2 patients.

Continuous celiac plexus block in acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Effective management of severe pain in acute pancreatitis is one of the important issues in therapy, as pain reflexes can contribute to the development of life-threatening secondary complications. Although opioid derivatives are still clinically in use, the direct interruption of afferent nociceptive visceral stimulation (e.g., by segmental epidural block) is claimed to be much more effective method of pain relief. However, in a group of the patients with alcohol ingestion as the etiology of pancreatitis and history of drug/opioid addiction in the background, epidural block failed to alleviate the pain. Study aim was to assess the effect of continuous celiac plexus block as an alternative analgesic method in patients with acute pancreatitis by using a retrospective analysis.

METHODS

Of 43 patients admitted to the intensive care unit with acute pancreatitis, 7 who did not respond to routine segmental T5-L2 epidural block received a continuous celiac plexus block performed in the right lateral position as an alternative method of pain relief.

RESULTS

Intermittent or continuous unilateral celiac plexus block offers an effective alternative treatment for pain in acute pancreatitis, especially in patients with alcohol etiology and history of drug/opioid addiction, in whom the conventional methods fail to give proper pain relief.

Rectus syndrome. Another cause of upper abdominal pain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Rectus syndrome is somatic pain originating from the rectus abdominis musculature of the abdomen. However, pain with its associated somatovisceral symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and anorexia, is called pseudovisceral pain syndrome. It commonly mimics abdominal visceral pain and misleads medical practitioners into establishing a wrong diagnosis and giving inadequate pain management. Owing to its primary somatic origin, a regional rectus nerve block is an efficacious modality for use in differentiating the diagnosis and providing longlasting optimal pain relief.

METHODS

Two cases, a 48-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, were referred for the management of chronic upper abdominal pain consistent with chronic pancreatitis. They underwent rectus block, first to differentiate the diagnosis and then to relieve intractable pain problems with multidisciplinary pain management.

RESULTS

Rectus block was performed successfully, and a diagnosis of rectus syndrome was established. These two patients responded to the rectus block immediately and received long-lasting pain relief after repeated rectus blocks in conjunction with pharmacologic and psychological treatment and physiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Rectus syndrome could be another potential cause of chronic intractable upper abdominal pain problem; rectus block provides a simple diagnostic and therapeutic technique to differentiate the diagnosis and treat it adequately.

Transient paraplegia following alcohol celiac plexus block

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

A pancreatic cancer patient developing transient paraplegia compatible with spinal cord ischemia, following alcohol celiac plexus neurolysis, is described.

METHODS

A 58-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic cancer underwent celiac (deep splanchnic) alcohol neurolysis for management of severe epigastric and midback pain. In spite of apparently adequate needle position, he developed transient paraplegia consistent with anterior spinal artery syndrome.

RESULTS

The clinical findings suggest ischemia of the anterior spinal cord with complete motor and sensory paralysis to a T8 spinal cord level resulting from an anterior spinal artery syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

The cause of the limited bilateral transient paralysis following celiac plexus block in this patient may involve ischemia of the spinal cord associated with reversible arterial spasm following the injection of ethanol solution.

Plasma concentrations of bupivacaine in celiac plexus block

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Following stellate ganglion block, systemic absorption of local anesthetics is rapid. Pharmacokinetic data for local anesthetics following other blocks, such as celiac plexus blocks, are lacking.

METHODS

Plasma concentrations of bupivacaine in venous blood samples following celiac blocks were measured in 10 patients using a high-performance liquid chromatography technique; 40 mL plain bupivacaine 0.25% was administered.

RESULTS

Celiac plexus block resulted in maximum plasma concentrations of 0.7-2.5 mg/L bupivacaine (mean, 1.5 +/- 0.6 mg/L). In 3 of 10 patients plasma concentrations above 2 mg/L occurred. The maximum concentrations were reached 10-30 minutes after the injection (17 +/- 8 minutes). No clinical signs of central nervous system toxicity occurred. All patients showed hemodynamic stability following the blocks.

CONCLUSIONS

Maximum plasma concentrations of bupivacaine occur rather late following celiac blocks compared to stellate ganglion or intercostal blocks. The rather high plasma concentrations of bupivacaine indicate the need for appropriate clinical monitoring.

Celiac plexus blockade in a 7-year-old child with neuroblastoma

Celiac plexus blockade with ethanol is a widely accepted modality of pain control for adults with cancer pain. The role of interventional strategies in children is less well established. A 7-year-old child with abdominal pain secondary to a Wilms tumor was treated with neurolytic celiac plexus blockade. This resulted in control of abdominal pain for close to three months. This modality is underutilized and should be considered for children with pain due to upper abdominal malignancy.

Neurolytic celiac plexus block for treatment of cancer pain: a meta-analysis

We performed a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) for cancer pain. A literature search yielded 59 papers, but data on NCPB in two or more patients was available in only 24 papers. Twenty-one studies were retrospective, one was prospective, and two were randomized and controlled. Cancer type was stated in 1117 of 1145 patients reported (63% pancreatic, 37% nonpancreatic). A bilateral posterior approach with 15-50 mL [corrected] of 50%-100% alcohol was the most common technique. Nonradiologically guided NCPB was performed in 246 patients (32%); guidance was by computed tomography (CT) in 214 (28%), radiograph in 271 (34%), fluoroscopy in 36 (5%), or ultrasound in 7 (< 1%). Good to excellent pain relief was reported in 878/989 patients (89%) during the first 2 wk after NCPB. Long-term followup beyond 3 mo revealed persistent benefit. Partial to complete pain relief continued in approximately 90% of patients alive at 3 mo post-NCPB and in 70%-90% until death even if beyond 3 mo post-NCPB. Patients with pancreatic cancer responded similarly to those with other intraabdominal malignancies. Common adverse effects were transient, including local pain (96%), diarrhea (44%), and hypotension (38%); complications occurred in 2%. This analysis suggests that: 1) NCPB has long-lasting benefit for 70%-90% of patients with pancreatic and other intraabdominal cancers, regardless of the technique used; 2) adverse effects are common but transient and mild; and 3) severe adverse effects are uncommon.

Coeliac plexus block for patients with cancer pain

1. Neurolytic coeliac blockade is an extremely effective palliative treatment for cancer of the upper abdominal viscera. 2. A successful block can be expected in over 80 per cent of patients in expert hands. 3. Coeliac plexus blockade frequently allows patients to reduce their analgesic consumption, with a consequent reduction in drug-induced side-effects. 4. Knowledge of potential side-effects and complications minimises their impact on the patient.

[Effect of celiac plexus block and thoracic epidural block on arterial ketone body ratio]

We evaluated the effect of intraoperative celiac plexus block (CPB) and thoracic epidural block (TEB) on arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR) in the patients undergoing total or partial gastrectomy. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, AKBR, and arterial blood gas were measured at the end of esophago-jejunostomy, gastro-duodenostomy, or gastro-jejunostomy (pre-block) and at the end of operation (post-block), respectively. After pre-block measurement, CPB with 99.5% ethanol 15-20 ml was carried out in 8 patients with advanced gastric cancer (CPB group); TEB with 2% lidocaine was performed on 8 patients (TEB group); and neither CPB nor TEB was done on 8 patients (control group). A significant reduction in MAP was observed after CPB and TEB. There was no difference in the degree of MAP decrease between CPB group and TEB group. No change in MAP was observed in control group. In CPB group significant decreases in AKBR, pH, and BE were induced by CPB. However, there were no difference in AKBR, pH, and BE between pre-block values and post-block values in TEB group as in the control group. These findings suggest that ethanol used in CPB reduces the redox state of hepatic mitochondria and increases lactate. Therefore we should pay attention to the changes in AKBR, pH, and BE after celiac plexus block with ethanol.

Median arcuate ligament compression syndrome in monozygotic twins

Twin 27-year-old women had symptomatic mesenteric ischemia caused by median arcuate ligament compression. Arteriography demonstrated severe celiac artery stenosis in one twin, celiac artery occlusion in the other, and proximal superior mesenteric artery narrowing with retrograde filling from a meandering mesenteric artery in both. Division of the ligament and direct celiac artery revascularization completely relieved symptoms in both patients. Median arcuate ligament compression of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries can result in mesenteric ischemia. Documentation of this unusual syndrome in monozygotic twins suggests that the responsible anatomic relationships are congenital.

Effectiveness of chemotherapy for advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas in combined modality therapy

Because it is difficult to diagnose at an early stage, pancreatic carcinoma is usually well advanced by the time it is diagnosed. The combined use of intraoperative radiotherapy, gastrointestinal and/or biliary tract bypass operation, celiac plexus nerve block, and chemotherapy is widely applied in treatment, with favorable results reported in some patients with advanced disease. To evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy in such combinations, we compared the effect of 5-fluorouracil, its analogues, and mitomycin C on the survival of patients with advanced stage pancreatic cancer. We found no significant difference between the patients treated or not treated with these drugs. Clearly, there is a need for new agents having greater efficacy against pancreatic carcinoma.

Paraplegia following coeliac plexus block

Coeliac plexus block (CPB) is one of the few neurolytic procedures that is still considered very useful in managing chronic cancer pain. We describe what we believe to be the fifth case in the literature of paraplegia following coeliac plexus block with ethyl alcohol. Clinical and neurophysiological examination confirmed the hypothesis of an acute myelopathy probably caused by ischemia due to involvement of Adamkievicz's artery. The seriousness of this neurological complication led us to review the different pain-relieving strategies in pancreatic cancer. Several medical and surgical procedures are available for advanced pancreatic cancer, yet none of them alone can be considered the therapy of choice for all cases. Hence, only a multidisciplinary approach to pancreatic cancer pain can help in making the most appropriate choice for each patient.

Plasma alcohol concentrations after celiac plexus block in gastric and pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare the plasma alcohol concentrations after celiac plexus block in different types of cancer. The authors studied the consecutive changes of plasma alcohol concentrations after celiac plexus block in a gastric cancer group (group 1, n = 6) and a pancreatic cancer group (group 2, n = 5).

METHOD

Celiac plexus block was performed with 10 ml of absolute ethyl alcohol. In all patients, operations had been performed 1.2-3.5 years before the block. Arterial blood was sampled at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, and 480 minutes after the block.

RESULTS

The average dose of absolute ethyl alcohol was 0.186 g/kg in group 1 and 0.182 g/kg in group 2. Plasma alcohol concentrations in group 1 were about four times greater than those of group 2 (p < 0.01). The mean maximum level was reached at 15 minutes after injection in group 1 (44.0 +/- 5.8 mg/dl) and at 30 minutes in group 2 (13.1 +/- 2.4 mg/dl).

CONCLUSION

Plasma alcohol concentrations after celiac plexus block showed different patterns according to the site of cancer and the type of operation performed.

[Selective proximal vagotomy in combination with prolonged drug blockade of the celiac plexus in the treatment of patients with duodenal ulcers]

The work deals with the results of SPV in combination with prolonged drug blockade of the celiac plexus in 78 patients with duodenal ulcers. The motor activity of the antral part of the stomach intensified and its blood supply increased after blockade of the celiac plexus. The course of the immediate postoperative period improved after SPV and the number of patients with hypokinesia of the stomach reduced.

Celiac compression syndrome and liver transplantation

OBJECTIVE

The authors assessed the prevalence and clinical significance of the celiac compression syndrome in liver transplantation patients.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Compression of the celiac axis by the median arcuate ligament of the diaphragm, causes a decrease in celiac artery blood flow which may lead to hepatic artery thrombosis in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation.

METHODS

From July 1991 to July 1992, 17 (10%) cases of celiac compression syndrome were identified among 164 consecutive adult patients who underwent liver transplantation. The diagnosis was confirmed by blood flow recording demonstrating a typical pattern of accentuated decrease in celiac blood flow during expiration.

RESULTS

Surgical transection of the median arcuate ligament resulted in normalization of the hepatic artery blood flow. In two cases (11.7%), an interposition iliac graft from the recipient supra-celiac aorta was used for the arterial reconstruction. During the follow-up period of up to 15 months, there was no incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical significance of the celiac compression syndrome is evident in liver transplantation in which the collateral circulation to the liver is compromised and the celiac artery remains the only source of arterial blood. It is imperative to identify and remove the obstruction of the celiac axis to prevent severe complications and potential graft loss.

Randomized double-blind clinical trial of celiac plexus block for percutaneous biliary drainage

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of celiac plexus block (CPB) as a method of providing analgesia for percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty-two patients scheduled to undergo PBD were prospectively assigned randomly into placebo (30 mL of normal saline) and treatment (30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine) CPB groups. Each patient received .03 mg/kg of midazolam for premedication before PBD and had access to a patient-controlled analgesia pump during the procedure. The pump was set to deliver 0.2 mg of midazolam and 25 micrograms of fentanyl per dose with a 3-minute lockout time. Vital signs, including heart rate and blood pressure, were continuously monitored during the procedure and recorded for comparison with baseline values. Patients completed a 10-point visual analogue pain scale following completion of their procedure.

RESULTS

Patients in the placebo and treatment groups self-administered a mean of 2.0 and 1.85 mg of midazolam, respectively (P = .40), and a mean of 247 and 231 micrograms of fentanyl, respectively (P = .40). On a 10-point pain scale, the mean postprocedure versus preprocedure elevation in pain was 2.1 points in the placebo group versus 1.6 points in the treatment group (P = .60). Overall, the degree of satisfaction with the analgesia was equal in both groups.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that CPB is not an effective means of providing additional visceral pain relief over and above that which can be accomplished with self-administered intravenous medication for patients who undergo PBD.