J Korean Pain Soc.  1988 Dec;1(2):164-170.

Alcohol Neurolysis of the Celiac Plexus of Upper Abdominal Pain Relief

• Kim IS

Abstract

Neurolysis of the celiac plexus is performed to relieve intractable pain caused by carcinoma of the stomach, liver and pancreas, and upper abdominal metastasis of tumors having more distant origins. It is also occasionally effective in controlling the pain of chronic pancreatitis. Alcohol celiac plexus blocks were done in 22 patients of whom 18 had intractable upper abdominal pain from cancer and 4had pain from chronic pancreatitis. In most cases, an initial diagnostic block with 0. 2 percent bupivacaine was followed by the therape-untic block performed by injecting 50 ml of 60 percent ethyl alcohol. Good to excellent pain relief occurred in 86 percent of patients. Duration of pain relief was from 4 months to 7 months in 55 percent of patients. Complications and side effects were infrequently seen but did include a 16 percent decrease of mean systolic arterial pr pressure and 16 cases of facial flushing. This block is remarkably safe as well as effective for the relief of upper abdominal pain from cancer origin.

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain*
Bupivacaine
Celiac Plexus*
Ethanol
Flushing
Humans
Liver
Neoplasm Metastasis
Pain, Intractable
Pancreas
Pancreatitis, Chronic
Stomach
Bupivacaine
Ethanol