Neurolytic agent
Phenol
Adult dose
Dose: Specialist use only — concentration and volume per indication and target nerve
Route: Injection (perineural/intrathecal)
Frequency: single
Clinical pearls
- Chemical neurolysis for intractable cancer pain
- Specialist pain medicine — irreversible
Contraindications
- Bleeding diathesis
- Local infection
- Hypersensitivity
- Lack of imaging guidance
Side effects
- Motor weakness
- Sensory loss
- Bladder/bowel dysfunction
- Tissue necrosis
Reference: BNF; FPM; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/phenol/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.