The Korean Journal of Pain

The Korean Pain Society (대한통증학회)
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Pulsed Radiofrequency Lesioning of the Suprascapular Nerve for Referred Shoulder Pain due to Metastatic Liver Cancer - A case report -

전이성 간암으로 인한 어깨통증 환자에서 박동성 고주파술 경험 - 증례보고 -

  • Kim, Hyung Tae (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Presbyterian Medical Center) ;
  • Jang, In Su (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Presbyterian Medical Center) ;
  • Han, Sang Ji (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Presbyterian Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Jun Hak (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Presbyterian Medical Center) ;
  • Kwon, Young Eun (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Presbyterian Medical Center)
  • 김형태 (전주예수병원 마취통증의학과) ;
  • 장인수 (전주예수병원 마취통증의학과) ;
  • 한상지 (전주예수병원 마취통증의학과) ;
  • 이준학 (전주예수병원 마취통증의학과) ;
  • 권영은 (전주예수병원 마취통증의학과)
  • Received : 2007.08.29
  • Accepted : 2007.10.24
  • Published : 2007.12.10
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Abstract

A diagnosis of shoulder pain is varied and difficult to make. The initial onset of liver cancer is difficult to detect and patients typically do not complain of symptoms as most tumors are asymptomatic. If the symptoms of the patients develop, the first symptom is usually pain that extends from the abdomen to the back and shoulder. A suprascapular nerve block is used in the treatment of the referred shoulder pain due to a metastatic hepatoma, but the effectiveness of the treatment has been limited because of its short duration. Recently, the advent of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) lesioning has proved a successful treatment for chronic refractory pain involving the peripheral nerves. We experienced a case of a 66-year-old male patient complaining of referred right shoulder pain due to metastatic liver cancer, which was relieved after PRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve.

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References

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