Endoscopic Ultrasound–Guided Celiac Plexus Neurolysis for Pancreatic Cancer Pain

Supplementing opioid medication with EUS-CPN did not significantly reduce pain or improve quality of life.

Endoscopic ultrasound–guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) remains a widely used method to treat pain in patients with pancreatic cancer. Most centers inject the celiac ganglia with an anesthetic and a neurolytic agent (usually dehydrated ethanol) to damage nerve fibers and reduce the transmission of pain signals to the brain.

To assess the value of EUS-CPN in this setting, investigators in Japan conducted a prospective, randomized controlled study that compared the use of EUS-CPN plus an opioid medication (oxycodone and/or fentanyl) versus an opioid medication alone in 46 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. The primary outcome was pain score assessed on a visual scale at 4 weeks.

Supplementing opioid medication with EUS-CPN di…

Reviewing Author

Douglas G. Adler, MD, FACG, AGAF, FASGE

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBSC; Merit; Olympus

Speaker’s BureauAbbVie

Editorial BoardsGastrointestinal Endoscopy

Douglas G. Adler, MD, FACG, AGAF, FASGE

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBSC; Merit; Olympus

Speaker’s BureauAbbVie

Editorial BoardsGastrointestinal Endoscopy

Endoscopic Ultrasound–Guided Celiac Plexus Neurolysis for Pancreatic Cancer Pain

Topics

Reviewing Author