title: Celiac plexus block versus analgesics in pancreatic cancer pain.
abstract: Twenty pancreatic cancer patients were studied to assess the effectiveness and duration of celiac plexus block compared to traditional treatment with analgesics by considering the previous and subsequent consumption of narcotics until their death. After 1 week of therapy with NSAID-narcotic sequence according to the WHO method, 10 patients were continued on this treatment, while the other 10 patients underwent celiac plexus block. Subsequently analgesics were administered as in the patients not treated by the block. A visual analogue score and opioid consumption were used to calculate the effective analgesic dose at weekly intervals until death. Celiac plexus block made pain control possible with a reduction in opioid consumption for a mean survival period of about 51 days. Administration of only analgesics resulted in an equal reduction in VAS pain score until death, but with more unpleasant side effects than when using celiac plexus block.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Anestesia, Ospedale Buccheri La Ferla FBF, Unità Terapia del Dolore e Cure Palliative, SAMOT, PalermoItaly.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mercadante
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002447:Celiac Plexus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D009294:Narcotics