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Endoscopic ultrasound–guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) is widely employed as a treatment for abdominal pain in patients with pancreatic cancer but is not always effective. EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) of the celiac ganglia has also been performed for this indication, and limited data suggest its effectiveness. Now, researchers have compared the efficacy of the two procedures for pain relief in this setting.
Twenty-six patients with abdominal pain from locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer were randomized to undergo EUS-CPN or EUS-RFA. The primary outcome was pain severity, which was assessed using standardized scoring instruments.
At 4 weeks after treatment, pain scores were significantly lower in the EUS-R…