Five-year follow-up of a cordotomy.
Percutaneous cervical cordotomy is an invasive procedure to treat severe, opioid-resistant cancer pain. It is usually proposed for patients with a limited life expectancy. As a consequence, objective quantification of the long-term effects of this procedure is lacking. The present report describes a patient who was treated with a right-sided percutaneous cervical cordotomy for refractory cancer pain. Afterward, disseminated seminoma was diagnosed, which was cured with chemotherapy. Five years after the procedure, a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the long-term effects was performed. Sensory dysfunction was observed in the left side of the body, but no motor neuron or autonomic dysfunction was observed. The influence of these long-term effects on the patient's daily activities was limited.
Meeuse
Jan J
JJ
Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. j.j.meeuse@int.umcg.nl
Vervest
Arnoud C M
AC
van der Hoeven
Johannes H
JH
Reyners
An K L
AK
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002818:Cordotomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D012684:Sensory Thresholds