Results of bilateral thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy in a patient with diabetic neuropathy of the coeliac plexus; reduction of 2,000 mg daily dose of morphine: a case report

We report the case of a 32-year-old patient with a long history of diabetes mellitus Type I complicated by coeliac plexus neuropathy. A strong pain syndrome of neuropathic type led to an addiction to parenterally applied morphine. The patient consumed 2,000 mg of intravenous or subcutaneous morphine per day. Thanks to the cooperation of three centres, the Pain Clinic at the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy of The Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education (CMKP) in Warsaw, the Department of Surgery CMKP in Warsaw, and the Pain Clinic and Palliative Care Clinic of Jagiellonian University Medical College (CMUJ) in Cracow, it was possible to stop the opioid intake completely.