Arterial infusion of nitrogen mustard in the treatment of intractable pelvic pain of malignant origin

Abstract

Sixty-two patients with intractable pelvic pain secondary to malignancy arising in the pelvis received a total of 72 percutaneous retrograde arterial infusions with nitrogen mustard. Fifty-three (74%) injections resulted in marked relief of pain for an average period of six to eight weeks. Five (7%) produced no pain relief. Toxicity was mild. There were two severe complications and no deaths related to the procedure or the drug in this study. Percutaneous retrograde arterial infusion with nitrogen mustard is suggested as the preferred procedure in the attempt to control pelvic pain caused by malignancy, before resorting to spinal cordotomy or intrathecal alcohol injection.