A case in which perineal pain due to local recurrence of rectal cancer was improved for a long time period by ganglion impar block performed twice

Abstract

Ganglion impar block (GIB) is used for treatment of perineal pain. There have been few reports on the long-term efficacy of GIB for cancer pain. We report a case in which perineal pain due to local recurrence of rectal cancer was improved for a period of 15 months by GIBs performed twice. A 53-year-old man had perineal pain due to local recurrence of rectal cancer. We performed neurolytic GIB. Resting and evoked perineal pain was improved by neurolytic GIB. Pain flared up again 9 months later, and we performed a second neurolytic GIB 11 months after the initial block. An analgesic effect persisted for more than 4 months after the second block. GIB can be performed easily and repeatedly and there are few complications. Repeated GIBs for perineal pain due to local recurrence of rectal cancer was considered to be useful for achieving a long-term analgesic effect in our case.