Five-year follow-up of a cordotomy

• Published in: Pain research & management Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 506 - 510
• Main Authors: Meeuse, Jan J, Vervest, Arnoud C M, van der Hoeven, Johannes H, Reyners, An K L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Hindawi Limited 01.11.2008; Pulsus Group Inc
• Subjects: Abdominal Pain - pathology; Abdominal Pain - physiopathology; Abdominal Pain - surgery; Cancer; Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; Case Report; Cordotomy - methods; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Pain management; Pain Measurement - methods; Patients; Sensory Thresholds; Studies; Canada
• ISSN: 1203-6765; 1918-1523
• DOI: 10.1155/2008/635197

Percutaneous cervical cordotomy is an invasive procedure to treat severe, opioid-resistant cancer pain. It is usually proposed for patients with a limited life expectancy. As a consequence, objective quantification of the long-term effects of this procedure is lacking. The present report describes a patient who was treated with a right-sided percutaneous cervical cordotomy for refractory cancer pain. Afterward, disseminated seminoma was diagnosed, which was cured with chemotherapy. Five years after the procedure, a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the long-term effects was performed. Sensory dysfunction was observed in the left side of the body, but no motor neuron or autonomic dysfunction was observed. The influence of these long-term effects on the patient's daily activities was limited.