Phenol injection into cisterna magna for relief of advanced intractable cancer pain in the faciocephalic area.

: Between 1973 and 1980 a solution of phenol in glycerin into the cisterna magna was injected in 38 patients suffering from advanced intractable pain due to neoplasm of faciocephalic area. Owing to the poor neurological and general condition of our patients, surgical procedures were discarded. Patient's age ranged from 36 to 76 years and pain diffusion involved many cranial and cervical nerves. Follow-up studies after phenol injections were carried out in 22 patients: mean survival time proved to be 137 days. In 76% of cases, before neurolytic treatment, narcotics had been administered. In this series pain relief seemed to be poor in 50%, good in 34% while it was unclassifiable in the remaining 16% of the cases due to an incomplete follow-up. These last patients were likely to show favorable results. Complications arising immediately after phenol injections are described. Long lasting disabling neurological deficits were recorded in 18% of cases. Less severe complications were shown in 71% of the patients. The most frequent ones were impairment of sensory functions of the trigeminal area and reversible paresis of the 7th cranial nerve. Despite the poor general conditions, no fatal outcome was seen in our patients. No significant relationship between pain relief and sensory deficit was found. The pathophysiological mechanisms of pain suppression, induced by phenol injection in the faciocephalic area are discussed. The value of this simple technique is briefly assessed in comparison to other analgesic procedures.