[Splanchnicectomy in pancreatic diseases]

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Surgical Oncology
• Pain Management

Context:

• Chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer frequently present with severe, intractable epigastric pain.
• Pharmacological pain management is often insufficient for these conditions.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of splanchnicectomy in patients with severe pancreatic pain.
• To assess the effectiveness of splanchnicectomy for pain associated with pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis.

Summary:

• Splanchnicectomy was performed on 18 patients with severe epigastric pain due to pancreatic diseases.
• Complete pain resolution occurred in 29.4% of patients, with substantial relief reported by 47%.
• The procedure was ineffective in only 17.7% of cases.

Impact:

• Splanchnicectomy is a recommended treatment option for refractory pancreatic pain.
• This intervention can significantly improve the quality of life for patients with debilitating pancreatic conditions.