The goal of this prospective study is to learn whether fluoroscopy-guided transdiscal splanchnic nerve neurolysis can safely reduce severe upper abdominal cancer pain in adults with pancreatic, gastric, or hepatobiliary cancer. The study will also assess whether this procedure can reduce the need for opioid pain medicines and improve patients' functional status and quality of life. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the procedure reduce patients' pain one month after treatment? Does it reduce the amount of opioid pain medication patients need? Does it improve functional status and quality of life? What complications or side effects occur after the procedure? How long does pain relief last, and how often is repeat treatment needed? Participants will: First receive a diagnostic splanchnic nerve block with local anesthetic. If the diagnostic block provides at least 50% pain relief, undergo transdiscal splanchnic nerve neurolysis using fluoroscopy guidance. Receive a neurolytic agent (absolute alcohol or phenol) through a needle placed at the T11-T12 or T12-L1 level. Have their pain, opioid medication use, functional status, complications, and satisfaction assessed before treatment and during follow-up. Complete follow-up assessments at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the procedure. Complete a quality-of-life questionnaire before treatment and at 1 month. The primary outcome will be the change in pain score on the 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale at 1 month after the procedure.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
40
Chemical neurolysis will be performed using the study-specified neurolytic agent (alcohol or phenol) to provide pain relief in patients with chronic pain. The procedure will be performed under appropriate clinical and imaging guidance according to the study protocol. Participants will be followed prospectively to assess pain relief, duration of analgesia, functional outcomes, and procedure-related adverse events
Sahiwal Teaching Hospital
Sahiwal, Punjab Province, Pakistan
Change in pain intensity
Pain intensity will be assessed using the 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), where 0 represents no pain and 10 represents the worst imaginable pain. The change in NRS pain score from baseline will be assessed following fluoroscopy-guided transdiscal splanchnic nerve neurolysis.
Time frame: Baseline to 1 month after the procedure
Change in quality of life
Quality of life will be assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months
Technical success of neurolysis
Successful completion of fluoroscopy-guided transdiscal splanchnic nerve neurolysis as intended according to the study protocol.
Time frame: During the procedure
Opioid consumption
Change in daily opioid consumption expressed as oral morphine milligram equivalents (MME) compared with baseline.
Time frame: Baseline, 1 week, 1 month,
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