Ahmed M Raslan1. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. raslana@ohsu.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The author presents data to support the continued need for ablative procedures, particularly cordotomy, in the management of cancer-related pain. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with cancer-related body or face pain were treated with computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation of the spinothalamic tract or trigeminal tract nucleus in the upper cervical region of the spinal cord. Forty-one patients underwent a unilateral cervical cordotomy, and 10 patients underwent a trigeminal tractotomy-nucleotomy. Three methods to assess patient pain were used: degree of pain relief, Visual Analog Scale, and total sleeping hours. The Karnofsky scale was used to measure the patient's level of function pre- and postprocedure. RESULTS: After surgical intervention, patients reported initial and 6-months follow-up pain relief as 98 and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography-guided ablation of the upper cervical spinal cord is a safe and effective procedure to treat cancer pain involving the body or face. There remains a need for ablative procedures, in particular cordotomy, in the management of cancer-related pain.
OBJECTIVE: The author presents data to support the continued need for ablative procedures, particularly cordotomy, in the management of cancer-related pain. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with cancer-related body or face pain were treated with computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation of the spinothalamic tract or trigeminal tract nucleus in the upper cervical region of the spinal cord. Forty-one patients underwent a unilateral cervical cordotomy, and 10 patients underwent a trigeminal tractotomy-nucleotomy. Three methods to assess patientpain were used: degree of pain relief, Visual Analog Scale, and total sleeping hours. The Karnofsky scale was used to measure the patient's level of function pre- and postprocedure. RESULTS: After surgical intervention, patients reported initial and 6-months follow-up pain relief as 98 and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography-guided ablation of the upper cervical spinal cord is a safe and effective procedure to treat cancer pain involving the body or face. There remains a need for ablative procedures, in particular cordotomy, in the management of cancer-related pain.
Authors: Aditya Vedantam; Ping Hou; T Linda Chi; Patrick M Dougherty; Kenneth R Hess; Ashwin Viswanathan Journal: Stereotact Funct Neurosurg Date: 2017-01-14 Impact factor: 1.875
Authors: T M Shepherd; M J Hoch; B A Cohen; M T Bruno; E Fieremans; G Rosen; D Pacione; A Y Mogilner Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2016-11-03 Impact factor: 3.825
Authors: A Vedantam; P Hou; T L Chi; K R Hess; P M Dougherty; E Bruera; A Viswanathan Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2017-02-16 Impact factor: 3.825