Celiac Plexus Block at Apex Interventional Pain & Spine

Celiac plexus block is a non-surgical procedure used to treat and manage severe and chronic abdominal pain caused by pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. The treatment involves administering a nerve block injection directly into the celiac plexus nerves.

The celiac plexus nerves are a bundle of nerves in the upper abdomen that connect the pancreas, gall bladder, stomach, intestines, and liver to the brain and spinal cord. The celiac plexus block prevents the nerves from transmitting pain signals to the brain, relieving pain.

Long-term severe abdominal pain can adversely impact your quality of life. A celiac plexus block procedure allows you to live your life to the fullest, uncompromised by chronic pain.

Who Is the Ideal Candidate for a Celiac Plexus Block?

You can be an ideal candidate for a celiac plexus block if you:

Have pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis-induced severe abdominal pain.
Experience no pain relief from other treatment options.
Need an effective abdominal pain management treatment.
Seek less dependence on opioids.
Want to avoid opioid-related side effects such as constipation and sedation.

What Are the Medical Conditions Treated with Celiac Plexus Block?

Celiac plexus block is used to treat the following medical conditions:

Recurrent abdominal pain
Cholangiocarcinoma
Crohn's disease
Gastrointestinal cancer
Inflammatory bowel disease
Gastroparesis
Diabetic gastroperesis
Acute and chronic pancreatitis

What Happens in a Celiac Plexus Block Procedure?

Let's understand the celiac plexus block treatment in three categories:

1. Before Celiac Plexus Block Procedure:

Your doctor will provide certain pre-procedure guidelines, such as:

Avoid certain medications, including blood thinners
Avoid eating or drinking for a few hours before the procedure
Reduce your alcohol intake
Stop smoking

2. During Celiac Plexus Bock Procedure:

It is an outpatient procedure that may take up to one hour. The procedure includes:

You lie on your stomach with cushioning under your hips.
You will be given an intravenous sedative to relax you and minimize your discomfort.
Your doctor sterilizes the treatment area with an antiseptic and numbs it with a local anesthetic.
They insert a needle into the back using X-ray imaging and inject a special dye to ensure correct needle placement.
They withdraw the injected needle and inject an anesthetic using a new needle. This is done to numb the nerves.
They inject another needle consisting of alcohol into the celiac plexus nerves, which leads to nerve damage.

3. After Celiac Plexus Block Procedure:

While you may experience pain relief within 15 to 30 minutes, you may be kept under observation for 1-2 hours after the procedure to check for potential complications, including:

Bruising, swelling, and tenderness at the injection site
Muscle spasms
Low blood pressure
Diarrhea

You will be discharged on the same day. However, you may need someone to drive you home and keep you company for the day.

What Are the Benefits of a Plexus Block?

A plexus block offers multiple benefits to pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis patients. They are:

Effective treatment for the management of intense abdominal pain.
Reduces dependence on painkillers.
Decreases side effects such as disorientation, constipation, and nausea due to reduced pain medication dosages.
Reduces the frequency of extreme abdominal pain episodes, also known as breakthrough pain.

What Are the Risks of a Plexus Block?

The risks linked with celiac plexus blocks are minimal. However, like for any medical procedure, its potential risks include:

Allergic reaction to anesthesia or the special dye
Infection at the injection site
Blood vessel or nerve root damage
Nerve damage
Reduced blood supply to the spinal cord
Damage to the surrounding organs
Collapsed lung
Spinal cord injury leading to paralysis
Seizures
Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
Paralysis of the stomach (gastroparesis)

Why Choose Apex Interventional Pain & Spine?

Apex Interventional Pain & Spine offers effective pain solutions to our patients in Coppell, Carrollton, Grapevine, TX, and surrounding areas. Our expert team, led by Dr. Mohammad I. Khan, a board-certified physician in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and pain management, offers personalized pain care ranging from minimally invasive interventional pain procedures to multimodal treatments.

We provide advanced pain solutions for many acute and chronic conditions that equip our patients to live pain-free and better-quality lives.

A few highlights of our exceptional services are:

Get Seen Promptly
State-of-the-Art Office
Convenient Location
Insurance Accepted

Get Effective Pain Solutions for Excruciating Abdominal Pain at Apex Interventional Pain & Spine

Are you looking for effective abdominal pain treatment in Coppell, TX? Apex Interventional Pain & Spine offers specialized treatments, including celiac plexus block near you in Coppell, Carrollton, Grapevine, TX, and surrounding areas. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our abdominal pain treatment options.

Request an appointment Call Us: (972) 833-PAIN (7246)

FAQs

A celiac plexus block is required when pain medications do not provide relief from severe abdominal pain caused by pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis.

The number of celiac plexus block injections you need depends on the intensity and frequency of your abdominal pain and your response to the treatment.

The pain relief lasts for 3 to 6 months.

A celiac plexus block has a high success rate for abdominal pain.

Celiac Plexus Block in Coppell, Carrollton, and Grapevine, TX