Abstract
For relief of the cancer pain we usually use not only oral or parenteral analgesics, but regional nerve blocks including epidural, intrathecal phenol, permanent celiac plexus block. To evaluate these analgesic effectiveness we reviewed cancer pain treatments of 57 patients in our pain clinic.
Almost of the patients complained severe pain at the low back hip, lower extrimities, chest and abdomen. One of the main causes of the pain was bone metastasis. Various nerve blocks were performed to all the patients except for 8 patients who were not treated with any nerve block therapies. Incases of vertebral column metastasis, potent nerve blocks could not be used because of occurence of severe complications.
Satisfactory pain reduction was obtained in 51% of the patients. For the patients with poor effects, more sufficient oral or parenteral analgesics was needed to decrease the total amount of pain.
We conclude the nerve block therapies were the useful method for relief of the cancer pain, in conbination with suitable application of opioids.
