Abdominal pain from tumors of the pancreas, liver and stomach can often be treated by blocking the bundle of nerves that supply the upper abdomen, called the celiac plexus. To block the nerves, an anesthetic is injected on both sides of your body around your aorta. If successful, you will likely experience profound pain relief, and you and your doctor may elect to proceed with a more permanent numbing using alcohol or phenol to interrupt the nerves that supply the celiac plexus.
The celiac plexus nerves are responsible for sending pain signals to the brain from several organs. These include the:
The celiac plexus block procedure is done while you are awake with local anesthetic and a sedative for your comfort. It usually takes less than thirty minutes and you can go home after having your blood pressure, pulse and temperature monitored for a short period after the procedure.