Video-assisted thoracoscopic neurectomy of intercostal nerves in a patient with intractable cancer pain.

Cancer-related pain is complicated and unbearable. Pain management techniques must be constantly modified and improved, with the goal of decreasing pain and enabling patients to withstand it. A 56-year-old man with colon cancer and multiple metastases was suffering from intense pain that was not relieved by extremely high doses of intravenous morphine. Temporary pain relief was achieved twice by blockade of the intercostal nerves with local anesthetics. Radiofrequency ablation was then performed under fluoroscopic monitoring; however, the procedure resulted in little pain relief. Finally, a neurectomy to cauterize the intercostal nerves was completed with video-assisted thoracoscopy under general anesthesia.