Abstract

Background. Most patients with pancreatic cancer are not candidates for curative resection. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety of an intraoperative ultrasound-guided cryosurgical procedure in a phase I study of unresectable pancreatic cancer. Methods. From March 1995 to March 1999, 10 cryosurgeries using intraoperative ultrasound were performed on 9 patients with unresectable cancers at laparotomy. Four patients had a concurrent gastrojejunostomy, 2 had a chemical splanchnicectomy, and 1 underwent a concurrent hepatic cryosurgical procedure. Results. There was no intraoperative morbidity or mortality. No patients developed postoperative pancreatitis or fistula. All patients had good pain control postoperatively and were tolerating a regular diet at the time of discharge. Pain control at discharge was achieved with an oral formulation (4/9), transdermal patch (3/9), no pain medication (1/9), and intravenous patient controlled analgesia (1/9). Conclusions. Ultrasound-guided cryoablation for unresectable pancreatic cancer appears safe and may contribute to improved postoperative pain control. Future studies to determine its therapeutic role in the management of unresectable pancreatic cancer are indicated. (Surgery 2002;131:463-4).

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.