CELIAC PLEXUS BLOCK
Celiac plexus blocks are injections of pain medication that help relieve abdominal pain, commonly due to cancer or chronic pancreatitis.
The celiac plexus is a bundle of nerves that surrounds the aorta, the main artery into your abdomen. Blocking these nerves from carrying pain information can help you stop feeling pain in your abdomen.
An injection of local anesthetic is used to block the celiac plexus nerves that transmit pain signals from your abdomen to your brain.
The procedure takes around 30 minutes overall and may be repeated every few weeks to months as necessary. Our pain doctors may also perform a radiofrequency ablation for longer duration pain relief.
The duration of pain relief may vary with individuals. For some, the procedure may ease the pain for several weeks while for others it can last for years. Some people are can return to their normal duties after the procedure.
Usually, patients will need more than one injection to maintain pain relief. In some instances, it may need only one injection while in other cases it can take more than ten injections.
