Pancreatic pain: a mini review.

Pain management is one of the corner stones in the treatment of pancreatitis. There are a variety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies to manage the symptoms. Recognizing the type of pain, nociceptive or neuropathic, is essential for appropriate treatment. The pharmacological armamentarium currently available is substantial and includes adjuvant analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and opioids that are customized to the etiology of the pain. When pain relief is suboptimal with pharmacological interventions, celiac block and other interventions should be considered. In acute pancreatitis the use of opioids is widely accepted while its use in chronic states is more controversial. When opioids are utilized, special care has to be taken for the assessment of indicators of misuse or abuse. A multidisciplinary approach to manage these complex patients will result in a high yield of success in controlling this and other symptoms. and IAP. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.