INTERPLEURAL ANALGESIA FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE CANCER PAIN IN TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS

Interpleural analgesia was used to a acute, severe exacerbations of ch ronic pain unrelieved by pharmacologic therapy in ten terminally ill c ancer patients. Pain from metastatic disease to the neck, arms, chest, brachial plexus, thorax, or abdomen was effectively eliminated betwee n 7 hr and 40 days in nine patients, who died with minimal or no pain. The technique was performed primarily using bupivacaine No side effec ts were detected. Interpleural analgesia appears to be effective in ra pidly controlling acute exacerbations of cancer pain in terminally ill patients. Moreover, it may also be a suitable therapy for moribund pa tients when used as a continuous-infusion technique.