CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy for intractable pain in what is more than a disease: lung malignancies.

AIM

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Pain is a common problem in these patients, yet inadequate or dissatisfactory management is prevalent.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between 1987 and 2012, 224 patients with intractable pain were treated with computerized tomography (CT)- guided cordotomy. Among them, 210 had intractable pain due to malignancies. The majority of the cases were diagnosed as pulmonary malignancies (108 patients). Sixty-seven were pulmonary carcinoma, 26 mesothelioma and 15 Pancoast tumors.

RESULTS

After cordotomy, 98.13% of cancer patients reported initial pain relief. Minimum and maximum preoperative scores of the Karnofsky Performance Scale were 20 and 70, versus postoperative scores of 40 and 90 (p < 0.001). The median preoperative VAS score was 8 (6-9). On the first postoperative day, the score dropped sharply to 0 (0-8) (p < 0.001). In this selected series of 108 percutaneous cordotomy procedures, as well as in the total series of 224 patients, there was no mortality or major morbidity.

CONCLUSION

CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy is an effective procedure that should be used in the treatment of cancer-related pain problems. We suggest that cordotomy should be preferred as soon as possible in patients who fail to respond to the classic analgesic therapy.