Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
Targeting Gray Rami Communicantes in Selective Chemical Lumbar Sympathectomy
Published on: January 10, 2019
Subcostal transversus abdominis plane phenol injection for abdominal wall cancer pain
Carlos Eduardo Restrepo-Garces1, Juan Francisco Asenjo, Carlos Mario Gomez
1Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Department of Surgery, Interventional Radiology & Pain Relief Clinic, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia; Department of Anesthesia & Pain Clinic, Clinica Las Americas, Medellin, Antioquia,, Colombia.
Abstract:
A subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) phenol injection was performed on a patient with refractory cancer pain due a metastatic involvement of the abdominal wall. A diagnostic block with local anesthetic was performed under ultrasound guidance (USG), resulting in a decrease of 80% and 100% in dynamic and static visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, respectively, for 20 hours. A phenol injection was then performed under USG. The patient reported 70% and 100% reduction in the dynamic and static VAS for pain and had a 50% decrease in the opioid requirement that was maintained for 2 months. TAP blocks offer an interesting tool for either diagnosis or therapeutic purpose in chronic pain management. USG provides an optimal approach to soft-tissue lesions where fluoroscopy techniques are not useful.
