The use of interpleural analgesia using bupivacaine for pain relief in advanced cancer.
The use of interpleural analgesia is described in six patients with a variety of advanced malignancies suffering from pain uncontrolled by opioids. The benefits and complications of the technique are discussed including management of the catheters at home and the measurement of plasma bupivacaine concentrations. Interpleural analgesia can provide good analgesia in a small, selected population of patients with otherwise uncontrolled pain of malignant origin.
Amesbury
B
B
St Wilfrid's Hospice, Chichester, West Sussex, UK. st.wilfs@virgin.net
O'Riordan
J
J
Dolin
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000698:Analgesia; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007322:Instillation, Drug; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010166:Palliative Care
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine