In addition to battling tumors, cancer patients often face various symptoms and complications. Among them, chronic cancer pain is encountered by most advanced cancer patients. Cancer pain not only intensifies in severity as the disease progresses but also leads to a rapid decline in the patient's immune system. Unlike typical pain, cancer pain patients experience extremely poor results with conventional analgesic drugs, with only opioid drugs capable of controlling cancer pain.
However, as the condition progresses, the dosage of analgesics and opioids gradually increases, accompanied by the drug's toxic side effects. Many cancer patients find themselves in a dilemma: while the pain is controlled with adequate medication, they cannot tolerate the side effects of high-dose drugs; conversely, when using medication within tolerable side effects, the pain is poorly controlled. Is there a method to precisely control the dosage of medication, minimizing it to effectively control pain while ensuring patient safety with minimal side effects? The development of intrathecal pain pump implantation surgery is a godsend for cancer pain patients.
Mr. Yang, 47 years old, diagnosed with kidney cancer 10 months ago, with lung and bone metastases, has already undergone radical resection surgery. He is currently undergoing active treatment with a combination of immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and ablation. However, due to recurrent widespread bone pain, he currently relies on long-term use of analgesics to control the pain. Recently, the pain in his back has become severe, making it impossible for him to get up. His mental state, appetite, and sleep are all poor, and he has lost 20 pounds in weight. In order to seek further treatment, Mr. Yang and his family came to our hospital's Palliative Care Center.
After consultations with the anesthesia and imaging departments, considering the patient's condition, physical condition, range of pain severity, and previous medication history, the expert team performed intrathecal pump implantation surgery for Mr. Yang.
▲ Intrathecal Pump Implantation Surgery
This surgery, performed with the assistance of mobile X-ray imaging equipment, involves minimally invasive implantation of a matchbox-sized pump device under the patient's abdominal skin, directly affecting the nervous system to achieve effective pain relief. This technology can adjust the infusion rate at any time through an external intelligent control system, essentially creating a "highway" for continuous pain relief medication delivery within the patient's body, with medication doses only 1/300th of oral doses.
▲ After Implantation of the Pain Pump
Although the medication dosage has been significantly reduced, the analgesic effect remains unchanged because the drugs directly act on the nervous system. Due to the substantial reduction in medication dosage, adverse reactions such as constipation, vomiting, nausea, and loss of appetite can be effectively reduced, while greatly alleviating the addictive and drug-dependency tendencies of pain relievers.
After the significant reduction in cancer pain, the patient's mental state, dietary condition, and immune system will also significantly improve, extending the patient's survival time. This treatment plan is particularly suitable for late-stage cancer patients. Mr. Yang, after the surgery, expressed that his pain has been completely relieved, and for the first time since the onset of his illness, he slept peacefully. He and his family are very satisfied.
This technology represents a new approach to precise treatment of cancer pain and will help improve the quality of life for more advanced cancer pain patients. Guangzhou Royal Lee Cancer Center offers various cancer pain treatments and analgesic projects, with extensive clinical and surgical experience, allowing many cancer pain patients to regain confidence in treatment here. Providing safe and comfortable "painless" services and a fully painless experience throughout the process, we aim to secure the future for our patients, which is our perpetual pursuit.