Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive inflammatory disease resulting in slow destruction of the pancreas. This chronic inflammation can lead to chronic abdominal pain which can last for many years. Unfortunately, medical management often is of only limited benefit in treating the pain of chronic pancreatitis.

Management of patients with intractable pain is difficult, often resulting in narcotic addiction.

Early results in a small group of patients suggest that percutaneous radiofrequent lesioning of splanchnic nerves has good potential for pain control in a subset of patients with chronic pancreatitis. Given the simplicity of the procedure, it clearly warrants reappraisal to identify its current role in pancreatic pain management.


Clinical Trial Description

Rationale: Pain control is the most pressing problem in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Many methods have been advocated to control this pain. Unfortunately, these methods fail to control the pain in 20-50% of patients. Management of patients with intractable pain is difficult, often resulting in narcotic addiction. Percutaneous alcoholic block of the celiac plexus is, because of the risks of paralysis and catastrophic haemorrhage resulting from injury to major abdominal vasculature, restricted to patients with intractable, severe pain due to terminal pancreatic cancer. Splanchnic nerve lesioning is a useful alternative to celiac plexus block in the management of patients with chronic upper abdominal pain. The predictable relationship of the splanchnic nerves to other structures allows for accurate needle placement and hence a low risk of damage. Radiofrequent lesioning uses a high frequency alternating current to heat tissues leading to thermal coagulation. It produces predictable and accurate lesions.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of percutaneous radiofrequent lesioning of splanchnic nerves (PRFLSN) in patients with pain caused by chronic pancreatitis. The primary goal is to determine if a 50% reduction in pain can be achieved for at least 3 months. Secondary objectives are reduction of medication use and improvement of quality of life.

Design: Single blind, prerandomized intervention study. Study population: Patients with pain (NRS>5) caused by chronic pancreatitis, despite optimal medical treatment.

Intervention: One group receives PRFLSN after a positive trial block with bupivacaine, the other group receives no extra treatment besides optimal medical treatment.

Main study endpoints: The percentage of reduction of pain after PRFLSN for a period of at least 3 months and preferably one year. ;


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Subject), Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT01005017
Study type Interventional
Source Maastricht University Medical Center
Contact Yolande CA Keulemans, PhD
Phone 0031-43-3875021
Email yolande_keulemans@hotmail.com
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date February 2011
Completion date December 2013

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT01659073 - Using Perfusion MRI to Measure the Dynamic Changes in Neural Activation Associated With Caloric Vestibular Stimulation N/A
Recruiting NCT05914311 - Use of Dermabond in Mitigation of Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) Trial Lead Migration N/A
Recruiting NCT05422456 - The Turkish Version of Functional Disability Inventory
Enrolling by invitation NCT05422443 - The Turkish Version of Pain Coping Questionnaire
Completed NCT05057988 - Virtual Empowered Relief for Chronic Pain N/A
Completed NCT04385030 - Neurostimulation and Mirror Therapy in Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury N/A
Recruiting NCT06206252 - Can Medical Cannabis Affect Opioid Use?
Completed NCT05103319 - Simultaneous Application of Ketamine and Lidocaine During an Ambulatory Infusion Therapy as a Treatment Option in Refractory Chronic Pain Conditions
Completed NCT03687762 - Back on Track to Healthy Living Study N/A
Completed NCT04171336 - Animal-assisted Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Chronic Pain N/A
Completed NCT03179475 - Targin® for Chronic Pain Management in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury Phase 4
Completed NCT03418129 - Neuromodulatory Treatments for Pain Management in TBI N/A
Completed NCT03268551 - MEMO-Medical Marijuana and Opioids Study
Recruiting NCT06204627 - TDCS* and Laterality Trainnning in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain N/A
Recruiting NCT06060028 - The Power of Touch. Non-Invasive C-Tactile Stimulation for Chronic Osteoarthritis Pain N/A
Completed NCT05496205 - A SAD Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability and PK/PD of iN1011-N17 in Healthy Volunteers Phase 1
Completed NCT00983385 - Evaluation of Effectiveness and Tolerability of Tapentadol Hydrochloride in Subjects With Severe Chronic Low Back Pain Taking Either WHO Step I or Step II Analgesics or no Regular Analgesics Phase 3
Recruiting NCT05118204 - Randomized Trial of Buprenorphine Microdose Inductions During Hospitalization Phase 4
Terminated NCT03538444 - Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Opiate Use Disorder N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT05812703 - Biometrics and Self-reported Health Changes in Adults Receiving Behavioral Treatments for Chronic Pain