Intrathecal phenol rhizotomy for management of pain in recurrent unresectable carcinoma of the rectum.

The medical records of 11 patients with recurrent unresectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum who had intrathecal phenol block for the management of intractable pain were reviewed. There were seven patients with pelvic and four with combined pelvic and perineal recurrences. Five patients had sacral involvement by tumor. Six patients had received prior irradiation. Three patients had good, three had fair and five patients had poor results after phenol rhizotomy. Patients with good results had relief for a median of three months. The over-all survival rate after phenol injection was three months. Phenol rhizotomy is indicated for the relief of intractable pain secondary to recurrent unresectable carcinoma of the rectum in carefully selected patients.