Severe hypoglycemia after celiac plexus neurolysis: An underreported adverse event?

Abstract

Celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) is a technique used to provide palliative analgesia to patients with intractable abdominal pain. We present the case of a male patient who was treated with CT-guided percutaneous CPN to manage pain from metastatic pancreatic cancer. Immediately following the procedure, the patient experienced severe hypoglycemia, which has not previously been reported as a complication of CPN. This complication may be underdiagnosed due to its similarities in presentation to alcohol intoxication, which is considered a common complication of ethanol-based CPN. This case demonstrates the need to monitor blood glucose levels following CPN, particularly in patients exhibiting symptoms of hypoglycemia.