Thoracoscopic Splanchnicectomy for Pain Control in Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Introduction: Severe pain is a major problem in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of Thoracoscopic Splanchnicectomy (TS) on pain control in these patients suffering from unresectable pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods:Between years 2000 to 2011, 20 patients suffering from unresectable pancreatic cancer underwent TS due to severe pain. They were studied in terms of age, sex, location of pancreas tumor, history of previous surgery, response to treatments for pain control (assessed with VAS scoring system) and complications of surgery. Results: Male to female ratio was 14/6 with a mean age of 63 years. The most common tumor site was at the pancreas head (in 8 patients). The most cause of unresectability was local expansion to critical adjacent elements (in 10 patients). Surgery was performed successfully in all patients. Post-operative complication included only pleural effusion on the left side which was cured by proper treatment. There were no post-op mortalities. Fifteen patients had acceptable levels of pain at the end of a six month follow-up period. Conclusion:TS provides good pain control, little side effects and minimal invasiveness, the technique is recommended for pain control in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.