Intrathecal somatostatin in terminally ill patients. A report of two cases

Abstract

Intrathecal morphine has been shown to be reliable in producing analgesia in patients with intractable cancer pain. Recently, we have demonstrated that intrathecal somatostatin is as effective in the treatment of cancer pain as intrathecal morphine. This report presents 2 cases in whom analgesia could be maintained for 60 and 25 days, respectively, under continuous intrathecal infusion of somatostatin by means of infusion devices.