Minimally invasive interventions on celiac plexus in patients with persistent abdominal pain caused by pancreatic cancer

Background. Chronic abdominal pain is common in 50 % of patients with intra-abdominal malignancies and has a huge impact on quality of their lives. As the number and doses of systemic analgesics increase, so does the frequency of side effects that can further worsen functional status, which is important for this cohort of patients who have a five-year survival rate of only 8 %. The purpose of the study: to assess the efficacy and safety of computed tomography-guided celiac plexus neurolysis as a method of reducing persistent, severe pain in patients with pancreatic cancer that affects their functional status. Materials and methods. The analysis of the results of 17 interventional procedures on the celiac plexus in 16 participants was conducted, sympatholysis was performed twice in one patient. Inclusion criteria: pancreatic cancer with persistent pharmacoresistant neuropathic abdominal pain for ≥ 3 months, which did not respond to medications, including opioids, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other conservative methods of treatment. Age of patients was 39 to 72 years (mean of 62.6 ± 8.2 years), 10 (62.5 %) research participants were male and 6 (37.5 %) were female. Results. Interventions were successfully performed for all patients on the first attempt. There were no cases of perforations of hollow organs, damage to blood vessels, pleural sinuses, or other structures of the abdominal and thoracic cavities. No neurological complications were recorded, and no one required blood transfusion. All study patients had a significant reduction in pain on the visual analogue scale compared to baseline, both one week after the procedure, from 9.7 ± 0.6 to 4.7 ± 1.4 (P < 0.001), and in six months, from 9.7 ± 0.6 to 4.1 ± 1.4 (P < 0.001). The average Karnofsky Performance Status Scale score compared to the data before the procedure, one week after increased from 64.7 ± 7.9 to 78.2 ± 6.4 (P < 0.001). A significant improvement in functional status was maintained up to three months — 71.2 ± 6.9 (P < 0.001). However, in six months, this indicator was 63.5 ± 6.0 (Р = 0.668), which may be related not only to the intensity of the pain syndrome, but also to other complications of the underlying disease (ascites, cachexia, tumor growth, palliative surgical interventions, etc.). Conclusions. Computed tomography-guided celiac plexus neurolysis is a safe and effective procedure for patients with abdominal pain caused by inoperable pancreatic cancer. Sympatholysis provides a long-term significant reduction in pain syndrome according to the visual analogue scale after 1, 3, 6 months (Р < 0.001) and increases the functional status of patients according to the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale in 1 (Р < 0.001), 3 months (Р = 0.023). Celiac plexus neurolysis should be considered as part of a multidisciplinary approach to the comprehensive treatment of upper abdominal pain associated with cancer in the early stages of the disease.