Thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy as a palliative procedure for pain relief in carcinoma pancreas

Thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy has been used for the management of upper abdominal pain syndromes as an alternative to celiac plexus block for conditions such as chronic pancreatitis or supramesocolic malignant neoplasms, including unresectable pancreatic cancer. This procedure is similar to the percutaneous block with a higher degree of precision and avoids the side effects associated with the local diffusion of neurolytic solutions. Thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy appears to be a better treatment in such cases as the procedure is done under direct vision and less dependent on anatomical variations.