Transcutaneous ethanol injection in hepatocarcinoma: Problems in analgesia and sedation

C. Iannarone, M. Caratozzolo, L. Costamagna, A. Fegiz, G. Tellan, I. Baumgartner, A.M.R. Maselli, A. Fantera

Insegnamento di Anestesiologia e Rianimazione, “La Sapienza” University – Rome (Italy)

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• Anesthesiology

Abstract. – Therapeutic ethanol injection into primitive or secondary hepatic tumours if performed in “one shot” causes a great deal of pain. For this reason an analgesic/sedation protocol was devised. This relies on the administration of ketorolac-propofol-nitrogen oxide mixture that has been used to treat patients with neoplastic hepatic diseases. A 20 patient series is described. Analgesic protocol was very effective and the only drawbacks were a residual sleepiness than in part is probably dependent on ethanol emigration into the bloodstream and consequently to the central nervous system depression.