Time-dependent change in pain threshold following neurolytic celiac plexus block

Abstract

Aim: To determine the long-term effect of ethanol relative to the re-occurrence of pain in postneurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) patients. Patients & methods: A noninterventional study on 31 patients who had undergone NCPB to illustrate the average change of pain score over time. Results: All NCPB patients reported a pain score decrease of 83.8% right after the procedure. 73% of patients reported 50–66% decrease in pain 80–100 days postprocedure. The temporal threshold for the return of pain scores to average preblock level was determined to be 103 post-NCPB procedure days. Conclusion: In this study, NCPB patients demonstrate return of pain to baseline subsequent to the analgesic effects of ethanol after a mean 103 days.